ABC announced on Monday that Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return to the air on Tuesday, less than a week after the network suspended the late-night host over controversial remarks about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The decision follows days of intense debate within ABC, Disney, and the broader entertainment industry about free speech, political pressure, and the future of late-night television.
“After thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday,” the network said in a statement.
Kimmel’s suspension came after a monologue in which he claimed that “many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalise on the murder of Charlie Kirk,” and accused “the MAGA gang” of trying to reframe the suspect in Kirk’s killing. Kirk, founder of the conservative group Turning Point USA, was shot dead on September 10.
The comments drew immediate backlash from conservative groups, media watchdogs, and some lawmakers. The Federal Communications Commission’s Brendan Carr sharply criticised the remarks, warning networks about their “responsibility” in handling sensitive speech, though he later denied issuing threats of regulatory retaliation.
The controversy was compounded by ABC’s relationships with affiliate owners. Nexstar and Sinclair, two of the network’s largest partners, quickly announced they would pull Jimmy Kimmel Live! from their schedules. Sinclair said Monday it will not resume airing the program, replacing it with local news. Nexstar has not yet confirmed whether it will follow ABC’s reinstatement decision.
The affiliates resistance has heightened pressure on Disney, which owns ABC, as it seeks federal approval for several high-stakes deals, including ESPN’s proposed acquisition of the NFL Network. Sinclair itself is lobbying the FCC for relaxed station ownership rules, making the political context surrounding Kimmel’s suspension even more complicated.
Kimmel’s reinstatement sparked a wave of reactions across Hollywood and beyond. More than 430 actors, comedians, directors, and writers among them Robert De Niro, Tom Hanks, Jennifer Aniston, Meryl Streep, and Lin-Manuel Miranda signed an American Civil Liberties Union letter describing his suspension as “a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation.”
The letter called on networks and corporations to resist political or corporate interference in programming, warning that such decisions risk chilling artistic expression.
On daytime television, ABC’s own The View also addressed the issue. “No one silences us,” co-host Whoopi Goldberg said, criticising Disney’s decision to suspend Kimmel.
President Donald Trump, a frequent target of Kimmel’s monologues, celebrated the suspension last week as “great news for America,” while demanding that other late-night hosts be fired. He has not commented on ABC’s reversal.
Turning Point USA, now led by Kirk’s widow, condemned the reinstatement. “Disney and ABC caving and allowing Kimmel back on the air is not surprising, but it’s their mistake to make,” spokesman Andrew Kolvet said.
Meanwhile, Kimmel’s late-night colleagues showed support. Stephen Colbert opened The Late Show on CBS by celebrating the reinstatement, telling his audience, “Our long national, late-night nightmare is over.” Colbert, whose own program will end after this season, joked that he remained “the only martyr on late night.”
Kimmel, who has hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live! since 2003, is one of the few remaining fixtures of traditional late-night comedy, a genre now under pressure from declining ratings, digital competition, and shifting viewing habits. His contract with Disney runs until May 2026.
CBS has already announced that Colbert’s show will be canceled after this season, a decision that has further signaled a transformation in the late-night space.
For ABC, Kimmel’s reinstatement reflects both the enduring importance of his show to its late-night lineup and the growing difficulty of navigating political and corporate pressure.
As debates over free expression and political accountability continue, the return of Jimmy Kimmel Live! is likely to keep the cultural and political spotlight on late-night comedy for weeks to come.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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