TV's Highest-Paid Hosts Of 2025 Revealed

Forbes

Nowhere is the structural decline of linear television more on full display than in late night. For decades, the shows were reliable cash cows for the networks, but in recent years analysts estimate that none turn a profit. Then, in July, CBS made the abrupt decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, citing $40 million in losses per year. And both ABC and NBC trimmed budgets last fall by moving to four-nights-per-week, whether their hosts wanted to or not. “I was bummed,” Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon tells Forbes. “I want to do it five days a week. I love doing it.”  Read the full story on Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattcraig/2025/09/12/the-highest-paid-tv-hosts-of-2025/  Subscribe to FORBES: https://www.youtube.com/user/Forbes?sub_confirmation=1  Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:  https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript  Stay Connected Forbes newsletters: https://newsletters.editorial.forbes.com Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes More From Forbes:  http://forbes.com  Forbes covers the intersection of entrepreneurship, wealth, technology, business and lifestyle with a focus on people and success.

Transcript

00:00Today on Forbes, the highest-paid TV host of 2025.

00:05The structural decline of linear television is on full display in late night.

00:10For decades, the shows were reliable cash cows for the networks,

00:14but in recent years, analysts estimate that none turn a profit.

00:19In July, CBS made the abrupt decision to cancel the late show with Stephen Colbert,

00:24citing $40 million in losses per year.

00:27Both ABC and NBC trimmed budgets in fall of 2024 by moving to four nights per week,

00:34whether or not their hosts wanted to or not.

00:37Tonight's show host Jimmy Fallon tells Forbes,

00:40Still, a late-night talk show gig comes with a salary that places Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel,

00:50both worth $16 million, and Stephen Colbert, worth $15 million,

00:55among the highest-paid hosts on television according to Forbes' estimates.

01:00Even in its diminished state, linear television still generates significant revenue for networks,

01:06and it's the talent from categories like late night, morning shows, primetime news, sports, and lifestyle

01:12who remain TV's biggest stars.

01:15Combined, the top 25 hosts earn an estimated $582 million.

01:21But with late-night extinctions seemingly on the horizon,

01:26it's almost certain that this generation of TV stars will be the last mega-earners the medium ever produces.

01:33Most of the top 25 hosts have been in the spotlight for decades,

01:36but agents and managers report a strong downward pressure on compensation during contract renewal negotiations.

01:43An exception is sports broadcasting, where salaries are rising sharply and new talent can break through.

01:50With media companies investing billions in league rights for television's most-watched events,

01:55spending millions on top talent is viewed as quality assurance

01:59and a way to encourage leagues to prioritize their network.

02:03Sports broadcasters now account for eight of the top 25 highest earners.

02:08Meanwhile, celebrity chefs like Guy Fieri, Bobby Flay, and Gordon Ramsay,

02:13each with an estimated net worth of $33 million, are still living extra large.

02:19They manage extensive production ventures through overall production deals,

02:23opting for guaranteed annual fees instead of profit participation.

02:28Another bright spot on the list is the number of women who are represented.

02:31Host Judy Scheinlin, Rachel Mowdow, and Robin Roberts are among the 10 highest-paid personalities on TV.

02:39But those outsized paydays will soon come to an end.

02:43Streaming platforms do not offer talent salaries comparable to the largest TV deals.

02:48Instead, platforms like YouTube share 55% of ad revenue with creators,

02:54incentivizing talent to bet on themselves.

02:57Many in the industry believe this is the trend of the future.

03:00In the meantime, here are the top five hosts commanding the most.

03:05At number one, Tom Brady, worth $37.5 million.

03:11Fox's massive deal to secure the seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady

03:16following his 2022 retirement from football

03:19has an impossible-to-calculate true value, according to television insiders.

03:24This is because a portion of his substantial compensation package is in company stock,

03:30which has appreciated significantly since the signing.

03:33Brady's duties extend beyond the commentary booth,

03:37as he also acts as a Fox ambassador at various company events.

03:41At number two, Guy Fieri, worth $33 million.

03:45The mayor of Flavortown reset the market for lifestyle talent

03:50with his three-year, $100 million overall deal signed in late 2023,

03:55making him the highest-paid talent at the Food Network

03:58after it merged with Warner Bros. Discovery a year earlier.

04:01The 57-year-old restaurateur has made nearly 600 episodes of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives

04:07since it debuted in 2007,

04:10and he produces or appears in numerous programs across the WBD portfolio.

04:16Next, at number three, Bobby Flay, worth $33 million.

04:21Bobby Flay's renewed overall deal in November

04:24now matches Guy Fieri's annual total,

04:27encompassing all of Flay's talent, producing, and personal appearance fees.

04:31In some instances, these deals also cover a percentage of ancillary business,

04:37such as physical products in restaurants,

04:39against that fixed annual sum.

04:42To justify this agreement,

04:44the six-year-old chef will need to maintain a busy schedule.

04:47His new show, Bobby's Triple Threat, debuted in September,

04:51and he currently has two other shows,

04:53Be Bobby Flay and Barbecue Brawl, in production.

04:57Coming in at number four, Gordon Ramsay, worth $33 million.

05:01Much like the other top chefs on TV,

05:04Ramsay has set up a mini-universe of culinary shows for Fox,

05:08including Hell's Kitchen, MasterChef, and Next Level Chef,

05:12lending him the same top-of-market overall deal value in March.

05:17Yet, unlike Bobby Flay and Guy Fieri,

05:19the 58-year-old Ramsay currently holds eight Michelin stars in his restaurant group

05:24and 40 million followers on TikTok,

05:27where he blew up during the pandemic roasting other users' cooking videos.

05:30And at number five, John Oliver, worth $30 million.

05:36The 48-year-old host of HBO's Last Week Tonight has secured a deal nearly twice the size

05:42of his network late-night counterparts.

05:44The show is a significant asset for the newly rebranded HBO Max,

05:49driving substantial sign-ups,

05:51and is a major award success,

05:53having won 30 Emmy statues over the last decade.

05:56For full coverage and to see the whole list,

06:00check out Matt Craig's piece on Forbes.com.

06:02This is John Palmer from Forbes.

06:04Thanks for tuning in.

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