TV & Entertainment • Late-Night
Viewers who tuned in on Thursday night, November 6, 2025, expecting a fresh episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! found a rerun. ABC made a quiet, same-day schedule change, attributing the missed taping to a personal matter involving host Jimmy Kimmel. The network gave no additional details and did not set a new date for the postponed episode.
What changed on Thursday night
The originally announced lineup featured actor David Duchovny, Stranger Things star Joe Keery, and pop artist Madison Beer. After the taping was canceled, Beer told fans her performance would be rescheduled due to “unforeseen circumstances,” underscoring how late the change came. Industry trackers that follow daily late-night schedules similarly flagged the swap to a rerun and indicated that guests would likely be rebooked.
A single-night disruption, not a shutdown
There is no sign of a broader pause for the show. At press time, ABC’s forward listings remained in place, and reporting framed the situation as a one-off postponement rather than a programming freeze. In late-night TV, a last-minute rerun is the standard contingency whenever a same-day taping falls through.
Context: a turbulent fall, but unrelated
The hiccup arrives weeks after a widely covered fall controversy, when ABC briefly suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! amid public backlash over Kimmel’s remarks about conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The program has since returned, and Thursday’s postponement appears unrelated. This time, the stated reason was a personal matter, and there’s no evidence connecting the missed episode to September’s dispute.
What viewers saw instead
ABC aired a rerun. When a same-day taping is canceled—due to health, urgent family needs, or unforeseen studio issues— late-night shows typically plug in a recent episode. That’s what appears to have happened on Thursday, with the network opting for a straightforward fill while the production team resets.
Why last-minute cancellations happen
Late-night is a live-to-tape operation that runs on tight, same-day timelines. If a host faces a personal or health issue—or if a key segment falls apart—there isn’t always a viable backup to keep the taping on schedule. For privacy reasons, networks rarely share specifics. Most of these disruptions are short-lived and don’t affect the overall production calendar.
What it means for the guests
Expect rebookings. Publicists typically coordinate with the show to align new dates with promotional windows—film releases, music drops, or tour press. Madison Beer’s note that she’ll return is the clearest early signal that the show intends to present the same or similar lineup soon.
What fans should watch next
- ABC listings: Check local schedules and the show’s official pages for near-term guest calendars.
- Guest social feeds: Artists and actors often post rebooked dates first.
- Industry trades: Late-night schedule changes are commonly reported the same day.
