Jimmy Kimmel is set to return to late-night television on Tuesday, nearly a week after ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! following backlash over his comments regarding the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
ABC announced Monday that the show would resume after the network had “thoughtful conversations” with Kimmel. However, two major affiliate groups—Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group—said they would continue to preempt the program. Collectively, the two corporations control about a quarter of ABC affiliates.
Nexstar said it would hold off airing the show “pending assurances that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve.” Sinclair also confirmed it would not broadcast Kimmel’s return.
Kimmel’s reinstatement sparked commentary across late night. “Our long national late nightmare is over,” Stephen Colbert joked on his CBS show.
The controversy began when Kimmel suggested that some Trump supporters were “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.” The 22-year-old suspect, Tyler Robinson, was charged with Kirk’s killing. Authorities say Robinson came from a conservative family, though his mother told investigators he had recently leaned left politically.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, appointed by Trump, criticized Kimmel’s remarks, saying it appeared the comedian was trying to “directly mislead the American public.” Carr warned, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
His comments drew backlash. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz accused Carr of acting like “a mafioso.” The American Civil Liberties Union also organized a letter—signed by celebrities including Tom Hanks, Barbra Streisand, and Jennifer Aniston—calling ABC’s suspension “a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation.”
Meanwhile, Trump hailed the suspension, inaccurately claiming the show had been canceled. Kimmel, a longtime critic of Trump, has frequently targeted the former president in his monologues.
The suspension also fueled a wave of subscription cancellations for Disney, ABC’s parent company. Behind the scenes, Disney and ABC executives negotiated Kimmel’s return. In a statement, ABC said the suspension stemmed from comments that were “ill-timed and thus insensitive,” though not misleading.
Andrew Kolvet, spokesperson for Turning Point USA, which Kirk founded, criticized the decision: “Disney and ABC caving and allowing Kimmel back on the air is not surprising, but it’s their mistake to make.”
Kimmel’s contract with ABC reportedly runs through May, and the controversy comes at a time when late-night shows face declining ratings as viewers increasingly consume highlights online. CBS has already canceled Colbert’s show.
How—or if—Kimmel will address the controversy on his return episode remains uncertain, though millions are expected to tune in.