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After a summer in which Jimmy Kimmel was technically away from late night but hardly absent from television, the host is returning to Jimmy Kimmel Live! with some major Hollywood company. Kimmel resumed hosting duties on Sept. 8 following a break that began June 18, when he joked that he was taking two months off “this time voluntarily,” a reference to his brief suspension the previous fall.
Andrew Garfield And Joey King Start The Week
ABC confirmed that Andrew Garfield and Joey King would join Kimmel for his first new episode back on Tuesday, Sept. 8. The return comes after ABC filled the preceding week with reruns, giving Kimmel’s arrival the feel of a fresh fall start. The show remains in its familiar 11:35 p.m. ET/PT slot on ABC, with episodes available on Hulu the following day.
Mariska Hargitay And Kaia Gerber Are Next
The celebrity parade continues Wednesday, Sept. 9, with Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star Mariska Hargitay and model and actor Kaia Gerber scheduled to visit. Gal Gadot follows on Thursday, Sept. 10. ABC had not confirmed Friday’s guests when it released the initial lineup, leaving at least part of Kimmel’s comeback week still open to another addition.
Summer Breaks Have Become Part Of The Job
Kimmel’s absence was not an unexpected hiatus. He has regularly taken summers off since 2020, an arrangement incorporated into his contract. Rather than simply shutting down, Jimmy Kimmel Live! has often used rotating guest hosts to keep the format moving. The exception was summer 2023, when Hollywood’s writers and actors strikes disrupted production across the television industry.
A Familiar Group Kept His Chair Warm
This summer’s guest-host roster included Tiffany Haddish, Colman Domingo, Ike Barinholtz, Anthony Anderson, Rosie O’Donnell and Jelly Roll. The variety is part of what makes Kimmel’s summer schedule unusual: instead of one permanent substitute, viewers get different performers taking temporary control of the monologue, interviews, and rhythm of a network late-night show. Kimmel had teased the group before leaving as a “potent” collection of replacements.
Kimmel Wasn’t Entirely Off Television
Anyone assuming Kimmel spent two months completely out of sight could still find him in prime time. He hosted Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, where guests included Ben Affleck, Jesse Eisenberg, Larry David and Paul Giamatti. ABC said more than 4 million viewers watched the game show’s summer run, up 9% from the previous year’s average and enough to make it Wednesday’s top-rated prime-time program.
His Return Comes After A Turbulent Year
The lighthearted comeback arrives after a much more contentious period. Disney briefly pulled Kimmel from the air last fall following controversy over remarks connected to the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group had pulled his program from their ABC affiliates, while FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened action against ABC. Kimmel subsequently returned to the air.
Kimmel And Trump Remain At Odds
Political conflict has continued into 2026. President Donald Trump called for Kimmel’s firing after the comedian joked that first lady Melania Trump had the “glow” of an “expectant widow.” Kimmel later said the joke referred to the age difference between the couple and rejected the interpretation that it encouraged violence. The dispute again put ABC and parent company Disney in the middle of a fight over political comedy and network responsibility.
Then Came Questions About The Show’s Future
Kimmel returned just as conflicting reports emerged about whether his long ABC run could be nearing its end. Page Six reported that his contract would not be extended beyond 2027 and described the current 24th season as the last. ABC Entertainment directly disputed that account, telling The Hill the information was “inaccurate” and that reports about the program’s future were currently “purely speculative.” Kimmel has hosted the show since 2003.
The Emmys Could Be Kimmel’s Next Big Night
The immediate focus now shifts from his guest couch to the Emmy Awards on Sept. 14. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is nominated for outstanding variety series along with The Daily Show, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Saturday Night Live, plus several production categories. After a summer away and renewed uncertainty about late night’s future, the ceremony gives Kimmel another unusually prominent stage just days after reclaiming his own.