Jimmy Kimmel is more than ready to leave 2025 behind him. What should have been another steady year in the long, successful career of the late-night mainstay instead became a relentless sequence of grief, controversy, and emotional exhaustion. According to a source who spoke to the National Enquirer, the past twelve months have affected him so profoundly that the change is visible. “This has been a year from hell for him, and instead of snapping back, he’s slowly buckling under everything he’s been through,” the insider explained. “He’s appeared to age considerably almost overnight.” The remark was not meant metaphorically; those around him say the physical toll is real and difficult to ignore.

The greatest blow of all came with the loss of his childhood best friend and longtime band leader, Cleto Escobedo III. Their bond, famously close and foundational to the spirit of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, had lasted nearly a lifetime. The source revealed that this loss has taken a “heavy toll” on Kimmel, not only emotionally but physically as well. Cleto’s presence had been woven into Kimmel’s personal world and professional routine for decades, and losing him reshaped the tone of Kimmel’s daily life. Even appearing on camera, something he has done with practiced ease for over twenty years, became more difficult. The laughter, the warmth, the improvisations that once came naturally felt suddenly strained, as though grief had rearranged the muscles in his face. His sadness, insiders say, has been impossible to hide.

But Cleto’s passing was only one chapter in the painful year that tested Kimmel’s resilience. His brief suspension from the show—brought on by controversial remarks he made in the aftermath of activist Charlie Kirk’s death—struck him with unexpected force. Such incidents aren’t new to the late-night arena, but this time, the fallout felt different. The backlash built rapidly, and ABC placed Jimmy Kimmel Live! on an indefinite hiatus in early September. For Kimmel, the moment felt like a catastrophe unfolding in real time. Appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on September 30, he spoke candidly about the panic that washed over him. “I thought that’s it. It’s over. It is over,” he admitted. “I was like, ‘This is it, I’m never coming back on the air.’” His confession revealed the depth of fear he carried, an anxiety that only heightened the feeling that the year was closing in around him.

Through it all, his wife Molly McNearney has remained a steadfast source of support. As both his partner and an executive producer on his show, she has stood beside him through every turn, offering stability in a period defined by upheaval. “She’s been an incredible support for him,” the insider said, emphasizing how deeply Molly has invested in helping Kimmel stay afloat. But even the closest, strongest relationship has its limits. “There’s only so much a spouse can do for somebody who has been through as much as Jimmy has in 2025,” the source added. The strain has been profound, affecting not just Kimmel’s work but his energy, his emotional balance, and his sense of purpose. It has been, the source concluded, “just a sad time all the way around.”

And the challenges may not ease with the arrival of a new calendar year. The landscape of late-night television looks more uncertain than ever. Viewership has been on a steady decline across the board, and major changes have already begun reshaping the industry. The cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert sent shockwaves through the comedy world, making it clear that no franchise—no matter how beloved or established—is safe from rapid shifts in audience behavior and corporate strategy. Against this backdrop, Kimmel’s future feels especially precarious. His contract with Disney is set to expire next year, and insiders say that conversations about his long-term plans are already circulating.

The source close to him offered a sobering assessment. “Jimmy’s not giving up, but maybe it would be healthier if he did,” the insider said. They explained that the daily grind of hosting a late-night show—demanding even in the best of times—can become nearly unbearable when personal tragedy and public controversy collide. “Fighting to win laughs night after night when everybody can see your heart is broken is not a way to lead a television show,” the source reflected. “It’s not a great way to live your life, either.” This sentiment underscores the growing concern that continuing in the role may not be in Kimmel’s best interest. Performing comedy requires a certain emotional flexibility, an ability to shift quickly from the heavy to the light. But when sorrow clings too tightly, that shift becomes almost impossible.

Despite everything, Kimmel has tried to maintain the familiar smile audiences know well. His on-camera demeanor, warm and polished, remains intact on the surface. Yet those close to him say that underneath the charm and practiced professionalism lies a man who has been shaken deeply by the year’s events. They say that even as he pushes forward—showing up at work, delivering monologues, participating in bits and interviews—something about him has changed. His movements are slower, his energy more fragile, and his emotional exhaustion seems to shadow him even in moments meant for levity. “Those who have known him for decades say he seems older, in a way they’ve never seen before,” the insider explained. It is not simply that he is aging; rather, it is that the events of 2025 compressed years of stress into mere months.

The phrase “year from hell,” used by Kimmel himself, feels almost insufficient for the scope of what he endured. The death of a lifelong friend, the fear of losing his career, and the unrelenting scrutiny that accompanies every misstep in the modern media landscape all fused into a storm from which he is still emerging. The year demanded emotional labor that no amount of experience in entertainment could prepare him for. The pressure to remain funny, relevant, and composed while navigating such suffering would test even the most unbreakable performer.

Yet, even in the midst of despair, there are signs of resilience. Kimmel continues to show up for his staff, continues to honor Cleto’s memory through the work they once shared, and continues to fight for the equilibrium that fame often disturbs. Whether he chooses to renew his contract or step back from the role that has defined him for two decades, those around him agree that his next move will be guided by a need for healing. And perhaps, for the first time, the question is not whether he can keep hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live!—he unquestionably can—but whether he should.

As 2025 finally draws to a close, Kimmel appears determined to find a way forward, even if the path looks different than it did a year ago. The man who has spent decades making others laugh is now confronting his own grief, his own uncertainty, and his own need for restoration. Those close to him say he has changed profoundly, in ways that can’t be masked by jokes or the bright lights of a studio. The smile remains, but behind it lies a year that has reshaped him—one that he, more than anyone, is eager to leave behind.