Jimmy Kimmel Live! is back. After nearly a week off the air, ABC announced on Monday that its flagship late-night talk show will return Tuesday night, ending a suspension that sparked nationwide debate about censorship, government pressure, and free expression.
But not all viewers will see the comeback. Sinclair Broadcast Group, one of the largest owners of local TV stations, confirmed it will preempt the show on its ABC affiliates, replacing it with news programming. “Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return,” a Sinclair spokesperson told CNN. Nexstar, another major station group that pulled the plug last week, has not yet confirmed whether it will carry the show again.
The controversy
The uproar began after Kimmel delivered a monologue criticizing MAGA reactions to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. “The MAGA Gang [is] desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said last Monday.
Two days later, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr – a close Trump ally – suggested Kimmel should be suspended, invoking the commission’s oversight of local broadcasters. Within hours, Sinclair and Nexstar announced they would pull Kimmel locally, and Disney, ABC’s parent company, suspended the show altogether.
Disney explained the decision as an attempt to “avoid further inflaming a tense situation,” but critics saw it as caving to political pressure.
Backlash and support
The suspension drew swift backlash. More than 400 artists, including Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, and Jennifer Aniston, signed an ACLU-backed open letter defending Kimmel. PEN America and other free speech groups condemned Disney’s move, while protests erupted outside Disney’s New York and Burbank offices and at Kimmel’s Hollywood theater.
Democrats also weighed in. California Gov. Gavin Newsom called Kimmel’s return “a win for free speech everywhere,” while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said it showed resistance against “abuses by Donald Trump and Brendan Carr.” FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez praised Disney for “finding its courage in the face of clear government intimidation.”
What’s next for Kimmel
Disney executives Bob Iger and Dana Walden continue to navigate delicate territory: ABC’s station partners rely on FCC approvals for major deals, while Kimmel’s contract expires in May. Meanwhile, late-night audiences and ad revenues are shrinking, and Jimmy Kimmel Live! employs more than 200 staff.
According to CNN, Kimmel is expected to address the controversy in his Tuesday night monologue. Whether Sinclair or Nexstar will eventually resume carriage remains uncertain, but for now, the late-night host returns to the national stage with even higher stakes.
