Entertainment

Who Could Replace Jimmy Kimmel On Late Night TV?

Kevin Winter/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Could this be the end of an era? Jimmy Kimmel recently revealed to Variety that he's considering stepping away from his eponymous talk show. But, who in the world could ever replace Kimmel if he actually does decide to retire from late night television? I mean, those would certainly be some pretty big shoes to fill, right?

With his contract with ABC due to expire in 2019, Kimmel shared uncertainty about signing on for another stint with the network, revealing that he'd like to have a bit more leisure time in his busy life. He said:

“I know I will 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.”

But the question is: Will the 49-year-old comedian, who also serves as an executive producer on the show, actually be able to turn his Jimmy Kimmel Live! franchise over to the hands of someone new, after 14 years of nurturing it into the major success that it is now?

I mean, I guess I could see Kimmel handing over his hosting duties, to someone... like say, James Corden or Trevor Noah, if he does, in fact, decide to call it quits in the next few years. But, I personally think it'd be great to see a woman join the late night circuit, maybe perhaps, someone like Melissa McCarthy, Amy Schumer, Maya Rudolph or, ooh, Kristen Wiig. Yeah, Kristen Wiig would be a perfect fit!

However, I'm not quite convinced that he'll be able to completely detach himself from the self-created show that helped bolster him into the limelight. I wouldn't be surprised if he, in fact, stayed on in some behind-the-scenes capacity, that is — if the show even decides to continue without him in the first place. I'd also be willing to bet that Kimmel would even try to guest host "So & So" Live! ever so often. I mean, it is his "baby" after all.

It's worth noting that Kimmel created Live! back in 2003 and has been hosting the show since its inception, as it's gone on to become the longest-running late night talk show in ABC's history. So, he can't just walk away totally scot-free, right? I sure hope not.

Like, where else are we going to get to watch "Mean Tweets?" Oh my gosh, he can't possibly take "Mean Tweets" away from us, can he?

I guess we'll all have to wait and see how it pans out over the next few years. But seriously, Kimmel, the show must go on.

#SaveMeanTweets