Jimmy Kimmel's Show Returns to ABC After Backlash and Controversy

Tue Sep 30 2025 03:34:06 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Jimmy Kimmel Live! will once again air across all ABC channels after Sinclair and Nexstar reverse their decision following public response to Kimmel's comments about Charlie Kirk's death.

After a week-long ban, Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group have reinstated 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' on ABC affiliates. The decision came in response to concerns raised by viewers and community leaders regarding Kimmel's comments about Charlie Kirk's death. Kimmel expressed regret for his remarks during a recent monologue, addressing the controversy that sparked nationwide discussions about free speech. His return episode witnessed record viewership despite his show's previous absence from several ABC stations.

Jimmy Kimmel Live! will now appear again on all ABC channels.

Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group announced on Friday they will bring the show back to their ABC affiliates after a week-long ban.

The two companies, which carry dozens of ABC stations across the US, pulled the program over comments Kimmel made about Charlie Kirk's death.

Sinclair decided to reinstate the late-night talk show after thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers, and community leaders.

Kimmel was also briefly suspended from all of ABC, and returned to the network on Tuesday.

It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man, he said in his opening monologue that night.

By lifting the blackout, Sinclair and Nexstar viewers in cities like Washington, DC, Nashville, New Orleans, and Seattle can now watch Kimmel's show again.

Sinclair said in a press release its discussions with ABC and parent company Disney are ongoing and constructive. The media conglomerate said it had suggested measures to promote accountability within Disney, although none have been adopted yet.

Nexstar also cited positive discussions with ABC, saying in a press release that they appreciate their constructive approach to addressing our concerns. The company stated it is committed to protecting the First Amendment.

What happened?

Kimmel landed in hot water after his September 15 monologue on conservative firebrand Kirk's death. He said US President Donald Trump and his allies were desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and attempting to score political points from it. He also likened Trump's reaction to the influencer's murder to how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair Brendan Carr threatened to revoke ABC's broadcast licence during an interview with a conservative podcast. Following Carr's comments, Sinclair and Nexstar announced the cessation of the show on their ABC affiliates, which ultimately led ABC to pull it off the air entirely.

This triggered nationwide debates about free speech, including online trends of people canceling their Disney+ subscriptions.

Kimmel's comeback

Disney announced on Monday that Kimmel would return to air, but Sinclair and Nexstar initially maintained they would not air it. His return show on Tuesday drew record ratings, with 6.26 million people watching it live despite a quarter of ABC stations not airing it. Kimmel expressed regret about his earlier joke regarding Kirk, but also criticized Trump and Carr for what he called mob censorship tactics.

Our leader celebrates people losing their livelihoods because he can't take a joke, Kimmel said, adding that Trump's open support for people losing their jobs was un-American and dangerous. Trump expressed disappointment in Kimmel's reinstatement, stating, I can't believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back.