Jimmy Kimmel Live! returns to ABC as Molly McNearney resumes role on reinstated show
Molly McNearney, Kimmel's wife and co-head writer, is set to resume her role as the late-night program restarts following ABC's decision to bring the show back after controversy.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is set to return to ABC after a five-day hiatus prompted by controversial remarks about Charlie Kirk's assassination, network officials said. ABC described the comments as ill-timed and insensitive and said the decision to resume followed thoughtful discussions with the host.
Molly McNearney, 47, is Kimmel's wife and longtime producer who also serves as co-head writer on the show. The couple met when she joined as a writer's assistant in 2004. They began dating in 2010 and married in 2013. They have two children, Jane, 11, and Billy, eight. McNearney is also stepmother to Kimmel’s adult children, Katie, 34, and Kevin, nearly 32, from his previous marriage. She is credited with working on about 469 episodes of Jimmy Kimmel Live!
McNearney has written material for the Emmys and the Oscars (2017, 2018, 2023, 2024) and contributed to Chrissy & Dave Dine Out in 2024. Her public profile includes outspoken commentary on political issues, and she has used social media to criticize former President Donald Trump and advocate for gun-control measures.
Asked about balancing work with marriage, Molly told Glamour in 2014 that she likes to keep work and home separate. "At 10 a.m. he's my boss, not my husband," she said, recalling their early years when they were navigating the dynamic at the office.
ABC's decision to bring back the program follows five days off the air and was described as the result of ongoing conversations with Kimmel about timing and sensitivity.