Jimmy Kimmel opens up about why he can’t quit his late night series

Jimmy Kimmel has explained why it’s hard for him to quit his long-running late-night show.

Currently, in its 20th season, Kimmel has hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live! for 19 years, interviewing a slew of celebrities and commenting on current events.

Last year, Kimmel told The Howard Stern Show that he was “vacillating” over whether to sign a new deal.

However, earlier this month, Kimmel ended up signing a three-year extension deal for Jimmy Kimmel Live!

On Wednesday (28 September), Kimmel returned to speak to Howard Stern about his decision and why it’s so hard for him to leave his late-night show.

“Being wanted is important,” Kimmel said. “ABC wanting me to stay. I didn’t know, maybe they wanted to start over, maybe the people running the network now want to find a person of their own for the next 20 years.

“Ultimately, I was having a hard time with the leaving part of it. The emotional toll that that takes. It was easier to worry about that in three years,” he said.

Kimmel added that he wants to hold onto this job for as long as he can.

“I was fired from most of my radio jobs,” Kimmel said. “I finally found a job where they liked me in LA at KROQ. I was really reluctant to leave even when The Man Show became popular. I think back to that, I never made more than $60,000 a year until I was three years into my job at KROC.

“The idea of quitting a job, I don’t know, I can’t imagine explaining that to my 25-year-old self,” he added.

Kimmel’s show debuted in January 2003, and the new deal means he will remain with it into the 2025-26 season.

Kimmel, who also serves as executive producer and series creator, has addressed the show’s eventual end multiple times.

Talking with Variety in 2017, ahead of his contract renewal in 2019, he said: “I know I will do the show for another three years. It’s possible that will be it.”

“I want to go out on my own terms,” he explained. “If I ever feel like we’re repeating ourselves, I think it’s a good indication that it’s time.”

Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs weekdays at 8pm ET on ABC in the US.