NEWSHoward Stern Turns Jimmy Kimmel's Contract Rumors Into an On-Air Warning to ABC: 'There Is No Man More Loyal'
Howard Stern praised Jimmy Kimmel’s loyalty to ABC during an appearance on his late-night show.
Oct. 3 2026, Published 2:07 p.m. ET
Howard Stern used an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to deliver an unsolicited warning to ABC about its late-night host’s future.
“I have heard many rumors about this show,” Stern said during the September 30 “Brooklyn Week” episode. “But I want to say something to the ABC, if they are watching right now — there is no man more loyal to this company than this guy.”
Howard Stern Makes the Case for Jimmy Kimmel
Howard Stern recalled Jimmy Kimmel attending network events and charity appearances without additional compensation.
Stern described Kimmel as “an emotional and a feeling man” who consistently supports ABC beyond his contractual responsibilities.
He recalled asking why Kimmel attended the network’s annual upfront presentation without additional compensation.
“He said, ‘I go because it’s ABC and they need me to do it,’” Stern recalled. “And you’ve gone to every charity event they ever asked you to attend.”
The radio host warned ABC of serious backlash if the network dropped Jimmy Kimmel.
Stern then turned his endorsement into a threat.
“He has done everything for the company, and I hope that they keep that in mind,” he said. “If something goes wrong, oh, is ABC going to have h--- to pay.”
The studio audience applauded as Stern asked, “Who’s with me?”
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ABC Faces Conflicting Pressures
ABC disputed reports that Jimmy Kimmel’s contract would not be renewed after the season.
The intervention followed a report that ABC would not renew Kimmel’s contract after the current season. The network disputed that claim in a statement to multiple outlets, saying the information was “inaccurate” and that reports about the show’s future were “purely speculative.”
“When a show becomes a political target, the first 24 hours inside a network are less about the audience and more about the regulators, the affiliates and the advertisers,” said Amore Philip, founder of Apples and Oranges Public Relations.
“Legal and standards teams get pulled into every statement, so the public line usually goes quiet or very short while leadership decides whether the talent is an asset to defend or a liability to manage,” she explained.
Talent and Network Goals Diverge
Communications experts described competing pressures between television talent and network executives.
“Good crisis communications in that moment means one spokesperson, one message and no off-the-record leaks, because the leak becomes the story,” Philip noted.
“The talent, on the other hand, often wants to talk, which is why you see moments like the Stern conversation: the host is managing his own reputation, and the network is managing its license and its sponsors,” she added.
“Those two goals rarely line up,” she said, “and the gap between them is where the drama plays out on air."
