Jimmy Kimmel shares update on five-year-old son years after undergoing open-heart surgery

Kimmel says Billy is doing ‘great’ but requires another surgery

Jimmy Kimmel has shared a health update on his five-year-old son who underwent two open-heart surgeries years ago.

Kimmel was in attendance at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Gala over the weekend.

The talk show host gave fans an update on his son Billy amid his ongoing heart condition, telling Entertainment Tonight that he is “doing great”.

“He’s perfectly normal – I shouldn’t say he’s normal, he’s not a normal kid, he’s a weird kid, but his heart is fine,” he joked.

“He’s a little screwy, that’s all we’re worried about right now. He’s doing great. He still has to have another surgery.”

Asked how Billy compares to other five-year-olds, Kimmel, 54, responded that he is no different.

“People – I think they’re very hesitant to ask me about him, and they’re like ‘Is he okay?’ And he’s honestly no different physically than any of the other kids,” he explained. “He can play sports – he doesn’t want to, but he can. He’s always dancing and jumping around, and we wrestle all the time.

“He’s fine, except for what’s going on with his heart, he’s perfectly fine.”

Kimmel praised the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles, calling the doctors and nurses the real “stars”, adding that “every boy’s gonna get treated like a VIP at this hospital because that’s just the way it is there, and that’s not true of most hospitals”.

In a now-viral monologue from 2017, Kimmell explained that his son had been born with a heart defect and underwent two open-heart surgeries as a result.

The late night host has spoken often and passionately about those involved in Billy’s healthcare.

In April, Kimmel shared a sweet tribute to Billy on his son’s fifth birthday. “We are eternally grateful to the brilliant doctors and nurses at Children’s LA and Cedars Sinai [hospital] for saving Billy’s life,” he wrote.