By Zoe Papadakis | Tuesday, 02 June 2026 01:41 PM EDT
Late-night television is not “dying of natural causes” but is instead “being poisoned,” ABC host Jimmy Kimmel said in a candid interview with Vulture, as he faces growing pressure from networks and political figures.
Kimmel defended the current reach of late-night programming, noting that viewership has surged: “There are far more people watching late-night TV than there ever were.” He added, “We’re not just dying of natural causes. We’re being poisoned.”
The comments come shortly after CBS ended its long-running “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert on May 21.
Kimmel acknowledged that Colbert’s departure felt like a preview of his own career path: “I feel a little bit defeated by it. In a lot of ways, I feel like I’m looking at my own future.”
President Donald Trump praised Colbert’s exit on Truth Social in May, writing: “Colbert is finally finished at CBS. Amazing that he lasted so long! No talent, no ratings, no life. He was like a dead person.” Trump later added: “Stephen Colbert’s firing from CBS was the ‘Beginning of the End’ for untalented, nasty, highly overpaid, not funny, and very poorly rated Late Night Television Hosts.”
Kimmel also disclosed that internal network conflicts nearly halted his show during a six-day broadcast suspension in September. “One of the things we talked about when I first got suspended was that I can’t do this show if I’m going to be micromanaged,” he said.
Although Kimmel’s contract has been extended through 2027 after initially ending in May 2026, he revealed he had planned to leave years ago. “Six years ago, I told them I thought I was done when Biden was president,” he stated.
Longtime producer Erin Irwin confirmed that Kimmel has discussed leaving for some time. She expressed hope he would last through the 2028 presidential election but added: “But I don’t know if Jimmy can do it for that long. He’s tired.”
Kimmel said he plans to completely exit the industry if he leaves, stating: “Professionally, I have no idea what I’m going to do after this. Freedom is what I want more than anything. I want to be able to go fishing because the fishing’s good.”
