The host and frequent Donald Trump target reportedly finalized a contract extension before his temporary suspension in September<\/p>\n
\n\tPresident Donald Trump<\/a>\u2018s least favorite talk-show host, Jimmy Kimmel<\/a>, will stay on the air at least through 2027 after signing a one-year contract extension for Jimmy Kimmel Live! with Disney, according to Variety<\/a>. The deal was reportedly finalized over the summer \u2014 before ABC\u2019s September suspension<\/a> of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, following a monologue in the wake of Charlie Kirk<\/a>\u2018s murder.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tThat suspension, which came after heavy pressure from the Trump administration, conservative activists, and network affiliates, was billed as \u201cindefinite.\u201d\u00a0 It ended up lasting just a few days, after it prompted a ferocious backlash of its own, with consumers apparently canceling their Disney+ subscriptions en masse<\/a> and actors and other showbiz figures condemning<\/a> ABC and its parent company, Disney. Kimmel returned<\/a> to the show with a studio audience chanting his name. His 17-minute monologue, in which he said it was \u201cnever my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,\u201d drew 6.26 million viewers, making it the most-watched regular episode in the show\u2019s history.<\/p>\n \n\tTrump has continued to target Kimmel, including as recently as last night, when the president hosted <\/a>the Kennedy Center Honors. \u201cWe\u2019ll do fine,\u201d Trump said.\u00a0\u201cI\u2019ve watched some of the people that host. Jimmy Kimmel was horrible \u2026 if I can\u2019t beat out Jimmy Kimmel in terms of talent, then I don\u2019t think I should be president.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\tTrending Stories<\/p>\n \n\tKimmel has hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live! since January 2003, but he has been weighing whether to step back from the role, Variety reported, and the one-year term is shorter than the typical three-year talent deal.<\/p>\n