Jimmy Kimmel is set to return as host of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire this summer as ABC celebrates the 25th anniversary of the landmark game show.
Originally hosted by Regis Philbin, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire first premiered on American television 25 years ago last month. It was an instant hit, and ultimately became so popular that at one point ABC was airing the show five nights a week. It finished the 1999-2000 season as the higest rated show on television with an average of 29+ million viewers.
Kimmel first stepped into Regis Philbin’s shoes back in April 2020 for a then-new network revival of the series, and returned later that year with a second season. It’s been on hiatus ever since.
ABC says the show’s new season will see two celebrity contestants playing together for charity. The celebrities participating willl be announced at a later date.
With NBC planning to air new episodes of Jimmy Fallon’s Password this summer, both late night Jimmys will be anchoring primetime game shows comes July. Like his late-night counterpart, Kimmel not only appears in the series, he also serves as co-executive producer alongside Michael Davies, who first brought the series to American television back in 1999 and now oversees Jeopardy.
The Kimmel-hosted new season of Millionaire premieres July 10.
