Jimmy Kimmel Live! returning to ABC

ABC owner Disney is bringing back Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday (23 September) after it suspended the late-night show following remarks by the host in the wake of the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

A statement issued by The Walt Disney Company on Monday read: ”Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country. It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive. We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday.”

The move ends a chaotic week that brought the notion of free speech sharply into focus. On Monday, hundreds of entertainment figures signed an open letter from American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) decrying the suspension.

However on Monday Sinclair Broadcast Group, which controls nearly 40 ABC affiliates, said it will continue to preempt, or programme alternatives, to Kimmel’s show starting on Tuesday. It remains in talks with ABC.

Tom Hanks and Jamie Lee Curtis were among a host of Hollywood stars to sign an open letter from American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) protesting the decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel Live!

The letter was signed by a number of Hollywood stars including Ben Stiller, Pedro Pascal, Annette Bening, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Bacon, and Regina King.

An excerpt read: “Last week, Jimmy Kimmel was taken off the air after the government threatened a private company with retaliation, marking a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation. In an attempt to silence its critics, our government has resorted to threatening the livelihoods of journalists, talk show hosts, artists, creatives, and entertainers across the board. This runs counter to the values our nation was built upon, and our Constitution guarantees.”

Kimmel told the audience on his 16 September show: “We hit some new lows over the weekend, with the MAGA [Make America Great Again] 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 host and comedian was suspended by ABC after TV station groups Nexstar Media and Sinclair said they were removing the programme, following comments on a podcast by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair Brendan Carr in which he criticised Kimmel and intimated that ABC would face consequences unless it took action. Nexstar is seeking to merge with Tegna and requires FCC approval for that transaction.

Disney CEO Bob Iger and co-chairman of Disney Entertainment and television head Dana Walden suspended the programme following what is understood to have been advertiser unrest and threats to employees. The move has led to calls to boycott Disney+ and incurred the wrath of figures from the Republican Party including Senator Ted Cruz.

In December 2024, ABC paid $15m towards Donald Trump’s presidential library to settle a defamation lawsuit. 

• A version of this article originally appeared in our sister title ScreenDaily