Starting Tuesday, there will be a new face in the prime time comedy scene. Jimmy Kimmel Live!, ABC’s late night talk show, will air at prime time for the first time on January 8.
ABC announced in August that Jimmy Kimmel would be pushed to the coveted 11:35 p.m. time slot, bumping Nightline to 12:35 a.m.
“Given the passionate fan base Jimmy Kimmel Live! has built over the past decade, and the show’s ratings and creative momentum this season, the time is right to make this move. There is the potential for far greater upside over the long term with this shift, given increased advertiser demand for competitive entertainment programming in the time slot,” says Anne Sweeney, co-chair of Disney Media Networks and President of Disney-ABC Television Group.
Kimmel will be going head-to-head with David Letterman and Jay Leno, who currently dominate the network late night talk show ratings. Kimmel, 45, is the youngest of the three, making him a valuable asset in attracting younger viewers.
With Leno and Letterman approaching their final years as hosts, Kimmel has the potential to become the new king of prime time.