Jimmy Kimmel Has COVID: Find Out His Late Night Replacement

Jimmy Kimmel is calling on his understudy. 

The Jimmy Kimmel Live host tweeted that he tested positive for COVID-19 on May 2. “Our daughter brought us covid (even though we specifically asked her not to),” wrote the dad to Katie, Kevin, Jane and Billy. “All feeling fine, I am double vaxxed and boosted but the show must not go on.”

Kimmel was due to interview Tom Cruise on Monday night about the upcoming Top Gun sequel. The interview would’ve been one of Tom’s first appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live in nearly seven years. 

But Kimmel has asked comedian Mike Birbiglia to helm the desk for the foreseeable future. Coincidentally, Birbiglia himself was scheduled to appear as a guest, but stepped up to the plate in Kimmel’s time of need. He joked, “I must be the first person to ever deplane a Southwest Airlines flight and find out they’re guest-hosting a late night talk show.”

Other stars booked for this week’s shows include Iliza Schlesinger, Ewan McGregor, Mike Meyers and Kevin Hart.