ABC has pulled late-night host Jimmy Kimmel off air indefinitely over comments he made about the shooting of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk.
Jimmy Kimmel Live will be pre-empted indefinitely, a spokesperson for the Disney-owned network said in a statement. Kimmel did not comment to the BBC as he emerged shortly afterwards from the television studio in Los Angeles.
Earlier this week, Kimmel said during his show that the Maga gang was trying to score political points off Kirk's killing.
A 22-year-old suspect appeared in court on Tuesday charged with aggravated murder over last week's shooting of the 31-year-old conservative activist.
Kimmel said in his Monday night monologue: The Maga Gang desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.
The late-night host also criticised flags being flown at half mast in honour of Kirk, and mocked US President Donald Trump's reaction to the shooting.
This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he calls a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish, said Kimmel, who has often poked fun at Trump.
Authorities have not specified a motive in Kirk's fatal shooting on 10 September.
The announcement of Kimmel's suspension came just after Nexstar Media, one of the biggest owners of TV stations in the US, opted not to air his show, calling his remarks offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse.
The suspension has ignited debates over censorship and the media's role in political discourse, drawing swift criticism from various corners, including the Writers Guild of America, which condemned the action as a violation of free speech rights.
After his suspension, Kimmel was seen leaving the studio without a comment, while fans expressed their disappointment over the cancellation. Some held signs protesting the decision, calling for freedom of speech.
