The fate of Jimmy Kimmel Live! At ABC, disclosed following the suspension of his late-night show and death of his friend & band leader.
Jimmy Kimmel does not intend to bid late night farewell. The host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! stated that he had extended his deal by one more year, ensuring that the ABC program will continue to air until May 2027.
Via December 8, Jimmy shared the update on Instagram with the following caption: “I am pleased to announce another no-talent year!”
The announcement comes after a difficult time for the late-night host, whose program was abruptly banned "indefinitely" in September due to criticism of remarks he made during his monologue about Charlie Kirk's murder on September 15.
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Less than a week later, the 58-year-old was back on the air, emphasizing that his first comments did not in any way support violence.
"It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man," he sobbed when he spoke to the audience. "I don't think there's anything funny about it."
When Cleto Escobedo III, the band leader of Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Jimmy's boyhood closest friend, passed away in November at the age of 59, Jimmy and his program had to deal with another terrible period.
“Early this morning, we lost a great friend, father, son, musician and man, my longtime bandleader Cleto Escobedo III,” at that moment, Jimmy posted on Instagram. “To say that we are heartbroken is an understatement.”
The TV personality went on, “Cleto and I have been inseparable since I was nine years old. The fact that we got to work together every day is a dream neither of us could ever have imagined would come true.”
“Cherish your friends,” he continued, “and please keep Cleto’s wife, children and parents in your prayers.”
Jimmy considered his position on prolonging his tenure on the show after a difficult year.
“It’s funny, I often answer that question,” he revealed in October at Bloomberg's Screentime conference, “and then I do the opposite of what I said I was going to.”
With his previous three contracts, he clarified, he would claim, “This is the last one.”
“So, I've learned not to say anything anymore, because it upsets my staff,” he teased, “and it's best that when I make a decision, I will make that decision.”
