If you have been wondering where Jimmy Kimmel is and when he is coming back to Jimmy Kimmel Live!, there is now a much clearer answer.
*Jimmy Kimmel is expected to return to Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.*
That date has been reported by late-night TV coverage as Kimmel's expected return after his extended summer break. LateNighter first reported the September 8 return date on August 3 and repeated it in its August 17 late-night schedule update. The Independent also reported last week that Kimmel is slated to return September 8.
There is one important caveat: ABC has not yet published a schedule officially placing Jimmy Kimmel back behind the desk on September 8. ABC's latest available schedule currently runs through August 28 and still has a guest host.
So September 8 is best described as the expected return date, rather than an ABC-confirmed date.
Why Is Everyone Asking Where Jimmy Kimmel Is?
Kimmel has been away from Jimmy Kimmel Live! for most of the summer because he announced a planned two-month break.
During his June 18 show, Kimmel told viewers that he would be taking the next two months off and said the break was voluntary. He also announced that several guest hosts would take his place while he was away.
That means this is not a situation where Kimmel suddenly disappeared from television.
ABC has continued producing Jimmy Kimmel Live! with other people sitting behind the desk.
But after weeks of seeing different hosts, viewers naturally started asking when Kimmel himself would return.
When Did Jimmy Kimmel's Summer Break Start?
Kimmel's planned break began around the start of July.
ABC's schedule shows Tiffany Haddish as guest host beginning July 6. Other guest-hosted episodes followed during the summer, including appearances by Colman Domingo, Ike Barinholtz, Anthony Anderson, Rosie O'Donnell and Jelly Roll.
Kimmel's original announcement was for approximately two months away from the show.
That timeline lines up with the early-September return that has since been reported.
Who Has Been Hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live?
ABC has used a rotating group of guest hosts while Kimmel has been away.
The announced lineup included Tiffany Haddish, Colman Domingo, Ike Barinholtz, Anthony Anderson and Jelly Roll. Rosie O'Donnell was later added to the summer rotation.
The actual schedule has not always followed a simple one-host-per-week pattern because some episodes were recorded earlier and aired later.
For example, ABC's August schedule shows Anthony Anderson hosting the August 10–14 week, followed by Rosie O'Donnell during the August 17–20 episodes.
Who Is Hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live Right Now?
As of August 24, the latest ABC schedule has Jelly Roll serving as guest host.
Jelly Roll is scheduled to host Monday, August 24 through Thursday, August 27. ABC has not yet announced the host for Friday, August 28.
The current lineup includes Glen Powell and Jay Shetty on August 24, Henry Winkler, Leanne Morgan and Stevie Nicks on August 25, Nathan Fillion and Juicy J and Project Pat on August 26, and Leslie Mann and Bert Kreischer on August 27.
So as of August 24, Kimmel is still not back.
Where Is the September 8 Date Coming From?
This is the part that has caused some confusion.
The September 8 date is not coming from the current ABC schedule. It comes from late-night television coverage that has been tracking the summer schedules.
LateNighter reported on August 3 that Kimmel was expected back on Tuesday, September 8. It repeated the same date in its August 17 update, when it described Jelly Roll as the final guest host in Kimmel's summer run.
The Independent also reported last week that Kimmel is slated to return September 8.
Another recent report discussing Rosie O'Donnell's guest-hosting stint likewise identifies September 8 as Kimmel's expected return.
So there is a real reporting trail behind the date.
Where Are People Talking About Jimmy Kimmel's Return?
The clearest verifiable discussion about September 8 is currently coming from late-night and entertainment coverage, rather than from an official ABC announcement.
LateNighter has specifically included the September 8 date in multiple weekly late-night schedule reports. The Independent has also repeated the date while covering Rosie O'Donnell's guest-hosting appearance. Other entertainment coverage has similarly referred to Kimmel returning after the summer break.
That is important because there is a difference between saying “people are talking about September 8” and claiming that September 8 is already an officially confirmed ABC broadcast date.
The former is supported by the recent reporting. The latter is not yet supported by ABC's published schedule.
Is Jimmy Kimmel Coming Back on September 8?
At the moment, September 8 is the expected return date.
It is not simply a guess made by viewers. Multiple late-night and entertainment reports have published that date as Kimmel's expected return.
However, ABC's latest official schedule has not yet listed Kimmel for September 8. The most recent ABC schedule available shows Jelly Roll hosting through August 27, with August 28 still marked TBC.
That means the safest wording right now is:
Jimmy Kimmel is expected back on September 8, but ABC has not officially confirmed that date yet.
Did Jimmy Kimmel Leave the Show?
No indication currently suggests that Kimmel has permanently left Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
His absence was announced in advance as a voluntary two-month break, and ABC has continued the program with guest hosts during that period.
The continuing guest-host lineup is actually consistent with the plan Kimmel announced before his vacation.
There is therefore no good reason to describe his current absence as a cancellation, firing or permanent replacement.
Why Has His Break Become Such a Big Topic?
The unusual part for viewers is not that Kimmel takes a summer vacation. It is how long the guest-host rotation has continued.
For much of July and August, viewers have repeatedly seen someone else hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live!. ABC has kept producing episodes, but Kimmel himself has remained away.
That has shifted the conversation from:
“Where is Jimmy Kimmel?”
to:
“When is Jimmy Kimmel coming back?”
And now the date that keeps appearing in the late-night coverage is September 8.
So When Will Jimmy Kimmel Be Back?
*Jimmy Kimmel is expected to return to Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.*
The September 8 date has been reported by LateNighter and other entertainment outlets and is now the clearest reported answer to the question of when Kimmel is coming back.
But there is still a distinction worth keeping in mind: ABC has not yet officially confirmed September 8 on its published schedule.
As of August 24, ABC's latest schedule still has Jelly Roll hosting August 24–27, with the August 28 episode listed as TBC.
So, for now, the best answer is simple:
Jimmy Kimmel is expected back September 8, 2026, but viewers are still waiting for ABC to officially put him back on the schedule.
