Movies & TV | Jun 03, 2022 07:21 PM EDT

Jimmy Kimmel Ending His Show After 19 Years? Host Shares Thoughts Before THIS Happens

By Alexandria Reeves

Jimmy Kimmel opened up about the future of his show, "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" after nearly two decades since it first aired.

Kimmel's notable stint on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" made him one of the longest-running late-night hosts. Although his show still garners high viewership ratings, he seemingly hinted that he would let go of the show one day - soon.

During his appearance on Variety's "Awards Circuit" podcast, the 54-year-old opened up about his show and how he considered ending it.

As Kimmel's contract with ABC ends next year, it caused him to think about the future even more. Still, he admitted that he did not know what he should do.

"I have moments where I go, 'I cannot do this anymore.' And I have moments where I go, 'What am I gonna do with my life if I'm not doing this anymore?' It's a very complicated thing. And there are practical considerations, and there are family and friend considerations and coworker considerations," he said.

Kimmel then disclosed that he knows he would have to stop the show since he does not plan to do it forever.

ABC has not commented on his statement yet. The host has been leading the eponymous show since 2003, where he also serves as the creator and executive producer.

Jimmy Kimmel Almost Ended Show Previously

It was not the first time he pondered ending "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" for good.

Before renewing his contract in 2019, he told Variety in 2017 that he might only do the show for another three years.

"It's possible that will be it. My wife's pregnant. At a certain point, I'd like to have a little more free time. I have very little free time as it is. I think this job is a grind, and best-case scenario, a marathon," he said. "I want to go out on my own terms. If I ever feel like we're repeating ourselves, I think it's a good indication that it's time."

Previously, rumors about ABC searching for his replacement emerged. Melissa McCarthy, Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Seacrest, and Kevin Hart led the list at that time.

However, it turned out that the buzzes were not true since Kimmel was only away at that time due to his decision to be on sabbatical for a few months.

The announcement of his seasonal sabbatical came after he decided to spend more time with his family.

He released a statement saying that there's nothing wrong with him and everyone in the family is healthy. Right now, he reportedly needs time off from the show.