Trending Now - Jimmy Kimmel Warns Late-night TV Faces More Than Natural Decline

WHO:

Deadline - Jimmy Kimmel, host of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

Variety - Stephen Colbert, host of "The Late Show"

Variety - Charlie Kirk, mentioned in relation to Kimmel's comments

WHAT:

Deadline - Kimmel stated, "There are far more people watching late-night TV than there ever were, if you look at the number of views me and my colleagues get online every day and add in our linear-television ratings."

Variety - Kimmel mentioned that his contract was extended by just one year instead of the standard three, stating, "Everything is so tumultuous. That seemed to make sense. It’s definitely not how it’s gone in the past."

Variety - Kimmel expressed uncertainty about retirement, saying, "It’s important to me to be responsible... I know I could go out in a blaze of glory and get a lot of applause for it, but it would be a very selfish thing to do."

Variety - Kimmel commented on Trump, saying, "I don’t love him. I don’t hate him, either. I feel sorry for him. He obviously didn’t get hugged a lot."

Deadline - Kimmel expressed feeling "defeated" by Colbert's cancellation.

Variety - CBS canceled "The Late Show" in July 2025.

Variety - Colbert's show was reportedly losing $40 million a year.

Variety - Kimmel's contract was extended in December by one year.

Variety - Kimmel stated, "We’re not just dying of natural causes. We’re being poisoned."

WHERE:

Variety - CBS, the network that aired "The Late Show."

WHEN:

Variety - Colbert's final episode aired on May 21.

Variety - Colbert's three-year deal was set to end in 2028.

WHY:

Variety - CBS cited "purely financial reasons" for the cancellation of "The Late Show."

Variety - Kimmel questioned the validity of the $40 million loss claim, suggesting it was "made-up numbers."

HOW:

Variety - Kimmel mentioned that ABC has told him his show is still profitable.

(UPDATED June 1, 2026 22:02 UTC)

Jimmy Kimmel has highlighted the growing audience for late-night television, noting that online views combined with traditional ratings show more people are tuning in than ever before. He also revealed that his contract was extended for just one year, a departure from the usual three-year term, citing the current tumultuous environment as the reason for this change. In a candid moment, Kimmel shared his mixed feelings about Trump, stating, "I don’t love him. I don’t hate him, either. I feel sorry for him. He obviously didn’t get hugged a lot."

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(UPDATED June 1, 2026 18:55 UTC)

In a surprising turn of events, Jimmy Kimmel expressed feeling "defeated" by the cancellation of Stephen Colbert's "The Late Show," which CBS ended due to what they called "purely financial reasons." Kimmel, whose contract was extended by one year in December, questioned the validity of the reported $40 million annual loss, suggesting those figures might be "made-up numbers," while noting that ABC has informed him his own show remains profitable. Colbert's final episode aired on May 21, and his three-year deal was set to conclude in 2028.