After spending time off the air due to controversial comments regarding the alleged killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” saw a ratings surge. Upon its return this week, the show drew about four times its usual audience.
That’s according to Nielsen data cited by CBS News. This data shows that the show, airing at 11:35 p.m. ET on ABC, drew an estimated 6.26 million total broadcast viewers Tuesday, even as around a quarter of ABC affiliate stations (owned by Nexstar and Sinclair) continued to pre-empt its broadcast.
“For comparison, according to numbers provided to CBS News by a Disney spokesperson, Kimmel's show averaged 1.42 million broadcast viewers during its 2024-25 season,” said CBS’ report.
Additionally, it pilled a 0.87 rating in the coveted 18 to 49 demographics, the highest for a single episode in more than 10 years. The comedian’s return not only drew broadcast viewers but 26 million views on YouTube and other social media platforms.
Kimmel’s show has been on the air for nearly two decades. Following the shooting of Kirk earlier this month and the arrest of 22-year-old Utah man Tyler Robinson as the suspected killer, Kimmel included a joke in his monologue regarding the contrasting narratives regarding Robinson’s potential political motivations.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang 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,” said Kimmel.
Conservatives criticized the comment, pointing to some evidence that indicates Robinson may have been politically left-leaning. Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr slammed the comment during a podcast interview.
“It appears to be some of the sickest conduct possible,” Carr said. “In some quarters, there’s a very concerted effort to try to lie to the American people about the nature of one of the most significant, newsworthy, public interest acts that we’ve seen in a long time.”
Then came the announcements that Kimmel’s show would be preempted on ABC stations. It was a move that came with its own flurry of backlash, including a letter singed by 400 artists and, eventually, news that the show would return.
Kimmel opened up the show Tuesday with a monologue that addressed the Kirk comments: “it’s important to me as a human, and that is, you understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man. I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.”
He also clapped back at comments from President Donald Trump that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” had “no ratings” before it was preempted.
“Well, I do tonight,” he quipped.
Kimmel was joined Tuesday by guest Glen Powell and musical guest Sarah McLachlan, per ABC. Ethan Hawke, Lisa Ann Walter and musical guest YUNGBLUD were on the show Wednesday, while Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Oscar Nuñez and musical guest Alex G were on the show Thursday.
“So thrilled and honored to be with @jimmykimmellive last night. Nothing but love and respect for Jimmy,” Louis-Dreyfus said in an Instagram post.
Marketplace reported Thursday that some Disney shareholders were questioning the move to preempt the show and how it impacted the company’s revenue as the Disney market cap dropped by $6.4 billion from last Thursday to this Monday. It also reported that some advertisers were pausing their ads on ABC.
By Friday, Sinclair and Nexstar announced they were ending the preemption of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and that each would air it on their ABC stations (which, combined, total around 70) on Friday evening. Per ABC, that will be a re-run of Tuesday’s episode with Powell and McLachlan.
“We have had discussions with executives at The Walt Disney Company and appreciate their constructive approach to addressing our concerns,” said Nexstar. “As a local broadcaster, Nexstar remains committed to protecting the First Amendment while producing and airing local and national news that is fact-based and unbiased and, above all, broadcasting content that is in the best interest of the communities we serve.”
“Over the last week, we have received thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers, and community leaders representing a wide range of perspectives,” said Sinclair in a statement. “We have also witnessed troubling acts of violence, including the despicable incident of a shooting at an ABC affiliate station in Sacramento. These events underscore why responsible broadcasting matters and why respectful dialogue between differing voices remains so important.”
Sinclair went on to say that, through ongoing discussions with ABC, it proposed “measures to strengthen accountability, viewer feedback, and community dialogue, including a network-wide independent ombudsman.” It added that ABC has not yet adopted the measures.
“Our decision to preempt this program was independent of any government interaction or influence. Free speech provides broadcasters with the right to exercise judgment as to the content on their local stations,” said Sinclair.
“While we understand that not everyone will agree with our decisions about programming, it is simply inconsistent to champion free speech while demanding that broadcasters air specific content.”
Carr praised both Nexstar and Sinclair last week after they announced preemptions of Kimmel’s show.
“Democrats just keep digging themselves a deeper & deeper hole on Kimmel,” he said in a Tuesday X post. “They simply can’t stand that local TV stations – for the first time in years – stood up to a national programmer & chose to exercise their lawful right to preempt programming. We need to keep empowering local TV stations to serve their communities of license.”
Trump and Vice President JD Vance – who both knew Kirk personally – commented on Kimmel’s return this week.
“I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back,” said Trump on Truth Social. “The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled! Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his ‘talent’ was never there.”
“The reason so many people, including me, were so upset with what Jimmy Kimmel said is he accused Charlie Kirk’s murderer of being a MAGA or a right-wing American,” Vance said, according to The Hill. “It wasn’t a joke; it was straight-up disinformation, and I really wish Jimmy Kimmel would apologize for it.”