Jimmy Kimmel to Step Away from Hosting Duties with Guest Line-Up

Beginning July 6, guest hosts will take over the ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ show as Jimmy Kimmel takes a two-month hiatus from his ABC program. An ABC press release has confirmed the line-up starting with Tiffany Haddish as the first guest host, followed by Anthony Anderson, Ike Barinholtz, Colman Domingo, and Jelly Roll. Notably, comedian Rosie O’Donnell, known for her critiques of Donald Trump, is also among the guest hosts.

Articulating his plans for the summer break on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’, Kimmel humorously remarked, “I hope you’re paying attention this summer, because I will be taking the next two months off — this time voluntarily,” referencing his previous suspension due to comments related to Charlie Kirk’s death.

In Kimmel’s message on Thursday, he also joked about inviting Rosie O’Donnell, “And as a special treat for our commander in chief, I asked one of his all-time favorites, Rosie O’Donnell, to be here to keep the hits coming,” Kimmel said with humor. “You’re welcome, and all I ask in return, Mr. President, is that you don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.”

‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ faced temporary removal from broadcasting last year following his critical comments on the Republican response to the death of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. The FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened regulatory action, which led to protests outside Walt Disney Studios in Burbank and ABC headquarters in New York, sparking widespread discussion about free speech.

Upon resuming the show on September 23, Kimmel addressed the audience with visible emotion, stating, “You understand it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” referring to Kirk’s incident. That episode garnered more than 6 million viewers. As part of his comeback monologue, he underscored the importance of free speech, saying, “This show is not important. What is important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this.”