Jimmy Kimmel says late-night TV shows might not exist ten years from now

Jimmy Kimmel weighed in on the future of late-night TV shows, saying that there will come a time when networks will stop financing these shows because people can now stream them online. The Jimmy Kimmel Live host joined Gavin Newsom, Marshawn Lynch, and Doug Hendrickson in their Politickin' podcast on Monday, August 12, to talk about his hosting gigs.

In the podcast, he revealed that he would continue hosting his eponymous late-night show at least for the next three years. But, after that, he's not too confident if the show would still exist, saying:

"I don't know if there will be any late-night television show on network TV in 10 years. Maybe there'll be one but there won't be a lot of them."

The era of streaming services may be convenient for watching anything at any time, but Kimmel noted that it cancels the viewer's need to watch a show live. He said that before, there weren't many shows to watch late at night, but people now have many options in terms of entertainment.

Jimmy Kimmel shared that people's streaming habits would ultimately hurt late-night TV shows, noting:

"[And] once people stop watching it when it's on air, networks are going to stop paying for it to be made."

In the meantime, the host and comedian will continue hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live, which has been running for over 21 years.

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Jimmy Kimmel is concerned about what he'll do after his late-night TV show

The future of late-night TV shows hanging in a balance is a big deal for Jimmy Kimmel as the host gets candid about his worry regarding what he'll do after his long-standing ABC show.

He told the Politickin' podcast hosts on Monday that he knows he's going to have a hard time when his show is over, saying:

"I will have a hard time when it's over. It worries me."

The late-night TV host shared that it was one of the reasons why he accepted a renewal for the show. He admitted to always feeling like every contract was his last. And while he always winds up signing another one, he still fears what he's going to do next when it's all over.

Kimmel mentioned that there aren't a lot of options in terms of careers for late-night talk show hosts like him. He jokingly added that, as a host, he can not simply start starring in movies as soon as his show ends.

That said, Kimmel has a busy schedule at the moment. In addition to continuing to host his TV show, he's also set to co-executive produce the mockumentary Whatever Happened to Huey Lewis?. The host recently turned down the 2025 Oscar hosting gig because it would be "too much" to handle for him.