Country music star Jelly Roll is set to return as a guest host for Jimmy Kimmel Live!
during the host’s summer break. The “Save Me” singer will fill in for Jimmy Kimmel during the week of August 24, as reported by yahoo.com. The upcoming television appearance follows his two-night guest hosting stint on the ABC late-night program last summer.
Jelly Roll Sets Summer Guest Hosting Duties on Jimmy Kimmel Live
The announcement of the summer guest host lineup includes several other well-known figures filling in during Kimmel’s two-month vacation. According to yahoo.com, the rotating roster features Tiffany Haddish, Anthony Anderson, Ike Barinholtz, actor Colman Domingo, and Rosie O’Donnell. Jelly Roll, who is a frequent guest on the show, is scaling back on live concert performances for the remainder of the year but maintains his commitment to the late-night hosting gig.
Touring Break and Personal Updates
The late-night hosting announcement arrives alongside major personal and professional updates for the artist, whose real name is Jason DeFord according to dailymail.com. Jelly Roll wrapped up his tour with Post Malone in Salt Lake City, where he informed the crowd that he intends to take a break from headlining tours in order to heal, as noted by yahoo.com.
On the personal front, the singer and his wife of nearly ten years, Bunnie Xo, announced their divorce after he filed court documents in Tennessee, according to dailymail.com. Despite the split, Bunnie Xo shared on her podcast, “Dumb Blonde,” that they are still expecting a baby together and plan to co-parent, emphasizing that there was no infidelity involved in the separation, a sentiment also affirmed by the singer during a concert in Saratoga Springs, New York, according to yahoo.com.
Significant Physical Transformation and Health Journey
Jelly Roll has undergone a massive physical transformation in recent years, dropping nearly 300 pounds from a peak weight of around 540 pounds down to approximately 265 pounds, as detailed by dailymail.com and wordlehintjournal.com. After experiencing alarming health warnings and struggling with food addiction stemming from his childhood in Antioch, Tennessee, the Grammy-winning artist overhauled his diet and committed to daily movement, noting that he began taking his health seriously around his 39th birthday.
His weight loss journey included completing his first 5K alongside Bunnie Xo and being featured on the cover of Men’s Health, accomplishing a personal goal ahead of schedule. The artist noted the stark contrast between his current health-focused lifestyle and his past touring culture, which previously revolved heavily around alcohol and drugs.
Philanthropy and Giving Back in Nashville
Beyond television and music, Jelly Roll has actively supported educational initiatives in his hometown. He was featured in a story by yahoo.com regarding his support for the Judge Dinkins Education Center (JDEC), a Nashville school launched in 2024 that teaches construction skills to at-risk teenagers.
The artist donated $300,000 and pledged an additional $300,000 to the institution. Notably, the school’s founder, Criminal Court Judge Jim Todd, was the prosecutor who charged Jelly Roll as an adult in 2002, sending him to prison for a year on a robbery charge when he was 17 years old. Reflecting on the dynamic at a gathering of country radio broadcasters in Nashville, where he was honored with the 2026 CRS Artist Humanitarian Award, the performer remarked that he now considers his former “sworn enemy” a friend.
