Jimmy Kimmel says he’s still not sure what he means by “retirement,” even as speculation grows over how much longer he’ll host ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Mr. Kimmel and his wife, executive producer Molly McNearney, discussed the subject during a recent appearance on comedian Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, after Mr. Shepard noted that the two of them “always talk about it.”
“It depends on what you mean by retirement. I’m never going to stop doing things,” Mr. Kimmel said. “It’s just a different scenario.”
He said he worries about becoming one of the entertainers who announce their departure only to stage a diminished comeback soon after. Mr. Kimmel, 58, added that his 25-year-old self would think it “crazy” for him to walk away from hosting a hit late-night program.
Ms. McNearney, who also serves as the show’s head writer, said she has mixed feelings about the prospect. She said Mr. Kimmel stepping away “definitely appeals” to her “for the nervous system of the household,” adding that as his wife she would like him to be able to stop doing the show so he could relax. But she also said she wants him to keep fighting, arguing that his voice is particularly important in the current political climate.
The conversation comes as Mr. Kimmel is on a summer hiatus from the show, with Rosie O’Donnell filling in as guest host for part of the run.
It also follows a turbulent stretch for Mr. Kimmel and the network. ABC temporarily pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off the air in September after Mr. Kimmel made comments during a monologue about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, prompting Sinclair Broadcast Group to preempt the program on its ABC affiliates, with Nexstar Media Group following suit the next day. ABC reinstated the show nationally less than a week later, though Sinclair and Nexstar continued preempting it on their stations for three more days before also restoring it.
In December, ABC signed Mr. Kimmel to a one-year contract extension that keeps him hosting through May 2027. His previous deal had been set to expire in May 2026. The one-year term is shorter than the roughly three-year extensions Mr. Kimmel has typically signed in the past, according to reporting cited in that coverage.
Mr. Kimmel has hosted “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on ABC since 2003.
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