Disney president and chief creative officer Dana Walden declined to say whether Jimmy Kimmel will remain at ABC beyond his current deal, according to a report originally published by The Western Journal that summarized her comments at Bloomberg’s Screentime conference.
She wouldn’t say if Kimmel stays
Asked whether the host of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” would stick around, Walden said, “I’m not going to make that announcement here with you today,” per the report. The Western Journal said she joked about leaving any news to someone else on the panel.
The Western Journal’s piece also said Kimmel “signed a one-year extension in December 2025 that keeps him on the show through the 2026–27 season.” Walden did not say the contract would be renewed or ended.
Late night ‘challenging’; digital pays less
Walden described late night as a difficult time slot: “The truth is, it’s a very challenging daypart,” she said, adding, “that’s not to say that Jimmy is not doing a phenomenal job, and his ratings are up. But they’re up relative to a smaller audience that’s watching late night on broadcast television.”
On monetization, Walden said YouTube and social clips don’t replace the old ad model: “That is not a lucrative opportunity for a very premium talk show.” She said digital views bring in a fraction of on-air advertising revenue.
Walden framed the decision as balancing personal and business factors: “We’re trying to make sense of the business while also honoring a deep partnership. I love Jimmy; we have great friendship. He’s close to a number of the people at Disney. We’re trying to work through it and make sense of, what does Jimmy want, what’s the right thing to do, and what’s the right thing for our business.”
Reports, denials, and the money question
The Western Journal report noted recent conflicting claims about the show’s future. It cited Page Six reporting that Kimmel’s contract would not be renewed; according to the report, ABC denied that account and called discussion of the show’s future speculative. The report also referenced other outlets saying the network is seeking significant budget cuts if the show continues, and said The Western Journal reported in September that Disney had pressed for a smaller budget. Walden did not mention any dollar figures or a cancellation date, and she did not treat renewal as automatic, per the report.
What’s still unknown
Based on Walden’s comments as described by The Western Journal, Disney’s public position is that Kimmel’s ratings are up inside a shrinking late‑night audience, digital video doesn’t monetize like TV, and the company is still weighing Kimmel’s preferences against what the business can support.
