Jimmy Kimmel’s future at ABC remains uncertain as Disney evaluates the changing economics of late-night television.
Dana Walden, president and chief creative officer of The Walt Disney Company, addressed the future of Jimmy Kimmel Live! during Bloomberg’s Screentime conference in October 2026. While she praised Kimmel’s performance and acknowledged the show’s improving ratings, Walden stopped short of confirming that the long-running ABC program would continue beyond Kimmel’s current deal.
Her comments come only weeks after ABC pushed back against a report claiming the late-night show would end in 2027.
For actors, producers, writers, crew members and other entertainment professionals, the situation offers a revealing look at how television networks are balancing traditional broadcast audiences with streaming, YouTube and on-demand viewing.
Dana Walden Addresses Jimmy Kimmel’s ABC Future
When asked about Kimmel’s future, Walden emphasized the broader challenges facing late-night television.
“The truth is, it’s a very challenging daypart — late night,” Walden said during the Bloomberg event.
She also emphasized that Kimmel continues to perform well, noting that his ratings have increased even as the overall number of people watching traditional broadcast late-night programming has declined. Walden declined to make a formal announcement about whether Kimmel would remain with ABC beyond his existing agreement.
That distinction is important: Disney has not announced that Jimmy Kimmel Live! is ending.
Instead, Walden’s comments suggest Disney is still assessing whether the show’s audience, production costs and revenue model make sense in an entertainment landscape increasingly dominated by streaming and digital platforms.
Digital Views Are Changing the Late-Night Business
One of Walden’s most notable points involved the difference between online popularity and traditional television economics.
Clips from Jimmy Kimmel Live! can attract millions of views through YouTube and other on-demand platforms. However, Walden indicated that those digital audiences do not necessarily generate enough revenue to support the costs associated with producing a premium late-night television show.
“We’re trying to make sense of the business while also honoring a deep partnership,” Walden said.
The challenge extends well beyond Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
Television audiences have become increasingly fragmented as viewers divide their attention between broadcast networks, subscription streaming platforms, social media, YouTube and short-form video.
For entertainment professionals, that shift can affect far more than ratings. It can influence production budgets, staffing, episode orders, hiring decisions and where new entertainment jobs are created.
A show may have significant cultural reach across social media while still facing questions about whether its traditional television business model remains sustainable.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! Ratings Remain Strong
Despite those industry pressures, ABC’s latest ratings figures show that Jimmy Kimmel Live! has recently gained viewers.
According to ABC, the show averaged 2 million total viewers during the 2025-2026 television season, making it the program’s most-watched season in eight years.
Among adults ages 18-49, the show averaged a 0.18 rating, ranking No. 1 across late-night programming and delivering its strongest performance in that demographic in four years.
The program also started the 2026-2027 season strongly.
During the week of September 21, Jimmy Kimmel Live! averaged 2.29 million total viewers and a 0.21 rating among adults 18-49, ranking No. 1 across late-night in both categories, according to ABC’s Nielsen-based figures.
The numbers demonstrate the complicated position facing networks: a television program can improve its performance compared with competitors while operating within a broader category experiencing structural change.
ABC Denied Reports That Jimmy Kimmel Live! Is Ending
Speculation about Kimmel’s future intensified after Page Six reported on September 8, 2026, that his show would reportedly not continue beyond its current deal.
The outlet cited an unnamed source claiming Kimmel’s contract would not be extended and reported that his current agreement runs through May 2027.
ABC disputed the report.
A network spokesperson told Page Six that the information was inaccurate and that reports about the show’s future were “purely speculative.”
Walden’s subsequent comments have not changed that official status.
As of October 2, 2026, ABC has not publicly announced either a renewal or cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel Live! beyond the current agreement.
Disney’s Dana Walden Takes on a Bigger Creative Role
Walden’s comments carry additional weight because of her expanded position inside Disney.
She officially became President and Chief Creative Officer of The Walt Disney Company on March 18, 2026, reporting to Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro.
Her responsibilities include Disney’s streaming, film, television, gaming and digital entertainment businesses, putting her at the center of decisions about how Disney distributes and monetizes entertainment across multiple platforms.
That broader strategy is particularly relevant to the Kimmel discussion. Disney is no longer evaluating television shows based solely on traditional ratings. Programs can now create value through streaming, digital clips, social engagement, advertising and broader brand visibility.
The challenge is determining whether that value justifies production costs.
Jimmy Kimmel Is Expanding Beyond Late-Night TV
Kimmel’s career also extends well beyond his role behind the desk at Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
He continues to work as a producer through Kimmelot, his production company.
Kimmel is an executive producer on Netflix’s upcoming documentary SCTV: The Greatest Show You’ve Never Heard Of, which is scheduled to premiere on October 30, 2026. The documentary explores the history and influence of the Canadian sketch comedy series and features performers including Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, Rick Moranis and Martin Short.
Kimmel is also an executive producer of Netflix’s SCHOOLED!, a kids and family competition series hosted by former NASA engineer and creator Mark Rober.
The series, produced by Rober’s CrunchLabs in partnership with Kimmelot, puts young competitors through science-based challenges designed around creativity and problem-solving.
What Jimmy Kimmel’s Future Says About Television
The uncertainty surrounding Jimmy Kimmel Live! represents a much larger transformation happening across entertainment.
Traditional television success can no longer be measured by broadcast ratings alone. Networks are increasingly examining how content performs across streaming services, social platforms, YouTube and other digital channels.
For actors, writers, producers and production crews, that transformation creates both challenges and opportunities.
Some traditional television formats may face increased financial pressure. At the same time, networks and streaming companies continue developing new documentaries, competition shows, digital-first programs and other projects designed for audiences who increasingly watch entertainment on demand.
For now, Jimmy Kimmel Live! remains on ABC, and Kimmel’s latest ratings demonstrate that the program still attracts a significant late-night audience.
What happens after his current agreement remains undecided.
Disney and Kimmel now appear to be working through a question facing much of the television business: how do you preserve successful premium programming when audiences are increasingly watching it somewhere other than traditional television?
