Tonight’s Air Time and How to Find It
The Jimmy Kimmel Live air time on ABC is 11:35PM ET on weeknights, following Nightline. In Pacific Time, this is 8:35PM PT. Local start times can shift by a few minutes depending on affiliate pre-roll and regional scheduling, so it is best to check your local ABC affiliate or your TV provider’s guide for tonight’s exact start. If you are asking what time is the Jimmy Kimmel show tonight, the reliable answer is 11:35PM Eastern on ABC, or the corresponding time in your U.S. zone.
Standard Weekly Schedule on ABC
Jimmy Kimmel Live follows a consistent weekly rhythm on ABC, anchored to late-night lineups. Understanding this pattern helps you translate the Eastern time to your local zone quickly. The core schedule is stable across most of the year, with adjustments only for special coverage or planned breaks.
Typical Weeknight Timeline
- 11:35PM ET / 8:35PM PT — Jimmy Kimmel Live begins (ABC, most markets)
- 12:00AM ET / 9:00PM PT — First segment concludes, monologue continues
- 12:25AM ET / 9:25PM PT — Full episode ends; some affiliates segue to local news or Nightline encore
How Time Zones and Affiliates Affect Local Start Times
Because the United States spans multiple time zones, what time the show appears on your dial depends on where you are and how your station schedules it. Network programming is fed to affiliates in the Eastern zone and then broadcast locally, which can introduce small offsets.
U.S. Time Zone Reference for Tonight
| U.S. Time Zone | Typical Local Start | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern (ET) | 11:35PM | Network feed time; widely used as reference |
| Central (CT) | 10:35PM | Most Central affiliates air live |
| Mountain (MT) | 9:35PM | Some affiliates may delay slightly |
| Pacific (PT) | 8:35PM | Common West Coast air time |
When Preemptions and Schedule Changes Occur
Although the show follows a dependable pattern, certain circumstances can move the start time, shorten the episode, or cause a rerun to air instead. These include special news coverage, long-form interviews that overrun, station-specific decisions, or planned network breaks during sweeps or holidays.
Triggers That Can Shift the Start
- Breaking news or major political events that extend Nightline
- Special presentations or awards-season episodes that run longer
- Affiliate-level programming substitutions in select markets
- Network decisions around holiday weeks or promotional stunts
How to Confirm Tonight’s Start Time in Your Area
Because local execution can vary, the fastest way to verify the exact start is to check sources tied to your specific affiliate and cable or satellite provider. These channels update in real time if there is a schedule deviation.
Quick Verification Checklist
- ABC7, KABC, WABC, or your local ABC affiliate website and app
- TV provider’s electronic program guide (EPG) or channel lineup
- ABC network schedule page filtered to your ZIP code
- Jimmy Kimmel Live official social channels for rare delay announcements
Background on the Show’s Time Slot and Branding
Jimmy Kimmel Live launched in 2003 and has been a fixture of the late-night block ever since. Its branding as a live, topical talk show shapes expectations for a certain window in the evening, even as streaming and syndication extend its reach beyond the original air time. The consistent time slot helps viewers form a reliable habit, while occasional variations keep the schedule responsive to bigger stories.
Jimmy Kimmel Live vs Other Late-Night Shows
Compared with other late-night programs on ABC and its competitors, the Jimmy Kimmel Live time slot positions it as the later anchor in the block. This affects advertising load, audience composition, and how far into the evening the cultural conversation around the jokes and interviews can stretch. For viewers, it means planning around a late but dependable window if they want to watch live.
Long-Term Patterns and Rare Disruptions
In most years, the network schedule across ABC’s late-night lineup remains stable. The kinds of shifts that change when the Jimmy Kimmel show appears are usually tied to one-off news cycles or intentional programming experiments rather than permanent time changes. Syndicated repeats and streaming availability help smooth over occasional disruptions for fans who cannot watch live.
Summary: What to Do If You Are Asking What Time Is the Jimmy Kimmel Show
If you are asking what time is the Jimmy Kimmel show tonight, the baseline answer is 11:35PM Eastern on ABC (8:35PM Pacific), with local affiliates sometimes shifting by a few minutes. For certainty on any given night, check your local ABC affiliate or your TV provider’s EPG. The show follows a predictable weeknight pattern, but it can be affected by special coverage or rare schedule decisions, so a quick check before the 11:35PM ET start is the most reliable approach.
