'This Is His Last Lap': Insiders Claim Jimmy Kimmel Is Privately Preparing to End His Late-Night Reign at ABC in 2027 With Dream Final Guest

Jimmy Kimmel has signed a new one-year extension with ABC, but multiple sources inside the network say the deal quietly marks the beginning of the end for Jimmy Kimmel Live, RadarOnline.com can report.

According to insiders, the long-running late-night show is now expected to conclude in May 2027, when the current contract expires.

While the extension was not publicly framed as a farewell, sources say executives and staff are treating it as Kimmel's final season after more than two decades on the air.

"Jimmy signed that one-year extension on purpose," one insider told Rob Shuter. "It wasn't advertised that way, but everyone at ABC knows exactly what it means — this is his last lap. Full stop."

Network executives are said to be planning a celebratory send-off for Kimmel, who has hosted the show since 2003.

Another source described the extension as his "goodbye year", adding, "The audience has shifted to streaming. Ratings have changed. Jimmy knows it's time."

Since launching in the early 2000s, Jimmy Kimmel Live! has become a staple of late-night television, known for viral comedy segments, sharp political commentary, and high-profile celebrity interviews.

Insiders say Kimmel is already looking beyond the traditional late-night format and is interested in future digital and cultural projects.

There is also speculation about how the show might end. One source claimed Kimmel has floated the idea of booking Donald Trump as his final guest. "He thinks ending with Trump would be the ultimate finale — one last laugh, one last headline," the source said.

The extension means Kimmel's deal with ABC, previously set to expire in May 2026, will now run through May 2027.

Kimmel addressed the uncertainty during a recent Screentime event hosted by Bloomberg, saying, "I often answer that question, and then I do the opposite of what I said previously. I said this is going to be like my last one [on the] last three contracts. I said this is the last one. So, I've learned not to say anything anymore, because it upsets my staff."

The past year has been turbulent for Kimmel. He was temporarily pulled off the air by Disney following controversy over comments tied to the murder of Charlie Kirk, and he also recently lost close friend and bandleader, Cleto Escobedo III.

Despite the uncertainty, Kimmel said he still believes late-night television has a future, pointing instead to rising production costs as the industry's real challenge.

"I don't think there's a reason for these shows to go away," he said. "The idea that these shows need to cost $120M is crazy."