Fact Check: Did Jimmy Kimmel step down as host of his late night show? Viral tweet debunked

A viral X post from July 26 claimed Jimmy Kimmel has been removed from his late-night ABC Network talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! X user and political commentator @GuntherEagleman followed his post with “Good riddance” in the caption, which reached around 1.2 million views within hours. The OP did not provide further context regarding Kimmel’s alleged removal.

Viral tweets claiming Jimmy Kimmel is stepping down as the host of his talk show. (Image via X/@GuntherEagleman, @ProudElephantUS)

Shortly after, another X post by @ProudElephantUS surfaced with the caption:

“Disgraced liberal talk show host Jimmy Kimmel has stepped down from his hosting duties of his failing late night talk show.”

Both these posts have been debunked by Community Notes on X. According to the clarification, Kimmel is currently on a hiatus he has been taking throughout the summer for the past couple of years.

He is set to return to the show on September 2. The Community Notes added that Kimmel previously mentioned his contract will end in 2026 and the show might come to an end with that.

Community Notes under the viral tweets. (Image via X/@GuntherEagleman, @ProudElephantUS)

According to The Direct, Kimmel's summer break kicked off on June 24. While Kimmel is on his hiatus, viewers can find him as a host on the new season of ABC's Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? As per ABC7, Kimmel filmed the star-studded episodes before setting off on his recess.

Thus, the tweets about Jimmy Kimmel stepping down from his late-night staple are inaccurate. The 56-year-old comedian will be back to host the titular talk show on Labor Day.

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Celebrities who have and will host Jimmy Kimmel Live! during the comedian's absence

Jimmy Kimmel first went on his summer break in 2020, leaving some fans worried over his sudden absence. However, Kimmel explained that he only wanted to add to his family time:

"There’s nothing wrong, I’m healthy, my family’s healthy, I just need a couple of months off."

The comedian recounted how it felt to be there for his kids during their bedtime and read stories to them. Kimmel shared that each night, he fell asleep next to his son’s bed on the floor. Since 2020, the television personality's summer recess has been an annual routine.

As Kimmel’s contract will approach its end in 2016, he shared his thoughts with The LA Times:

"I think this is my final contract. I hate to even say it, because everyone’s laughing at me now — each time I think that, and then it turns out to be not the case. I still have a little more than two years left on my contract, and that seems pretty good. That seems like enough."

Several celebrities have been invited to take the reins of Kimmel's show until his return in September.

Martin Short hosted the staple the week Kimmel started his break as he promoted his comedy-drama Only Murders In The Building. Both Selena Gomez and Steve Martin joined Short as the guests over two episodes.

Short also interviewed Sienna Miller, Jelly Roll, and Jane Lynch. Melissa McCarthy was interviewed during one episode where Martin Short appeared as Jiminy Glick, his Primetime Glick character.

Other guest hosts included Kumail Nanjiani, Kathryn Hahn, and Lamorne Morris.

The most recent substitute hosts on the show have been Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds as they promoted their long-awaited film Deadpool & Wolverine.