Jimmy Kimmel Live! came back Tuesday night after ABC’s suspension of host Jimmy Kimmel, and the audience numbers were massive. More than 6.26 million viewers tuned in, Nielsen reports — the largest for any regular episode in the show’s 22-year run.
And that’s despite the late-night show not airing in 23 percent of U.S. TV homes, thanks to ongoing affiliate blackouts involving Nexstar and Sinclair.
The Ratings Surge
The episode pulled a 0.87 rating among adults 18–49, about 1.18 million viewers in that key demo. That’s the show’s best regularly scheduled performance since March 2015. To put it in perspective, the second quarter of 2025 had Jimmy Kimmel Live! averaging just 1.77 million viewers. Tuesday’s turnout was more than three times that.
ABC quickly posted the first 28 minutes of the broadcast to YouTube, where the monologue alone has surpassed 15 million views. Across platforms, ABC says the clip has already reached 26 million views — another personal record for Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
Jimmy Kimmel Addresses Suspension
Jimmy Kimmel opened with an 18-minute monologue, acknowledging the comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s killer that landed him in hot water. “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” Jimmy Kimmel said, adding that he was grateful for bipartisan support in defense of his right to speak freely on air.
He also took direct aim at President Donald Trump, saying, “The president made it very clear he wants to see me and the hundreds of people who work here get fired. Our leader celebrates Americans losing their livelihoods because he can’t take a joke.”
Jimmy Kimmel criticized FCC chairman Brendan Carr’s threats to investigate stations airing the program, calling them “un-American.”
Late-Night Competition Heats Up
The numbers mirror a recent bump for The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, which saw a ratings surge after CBS announced the show would end in 2026. If Tuesday is any indication, Jimmy Kimmel Live! might be riding its strongest wave in years.
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FAQs
Q1: Why was Jimmy Kimmel suspended from Jimmy Kimmel Live!?
Jimmy Kimmel was suspended by ABC over remarks about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s killer, which sparked political backlash.
Q2: How many viewers watched Jimmy Kimmel Live! after the suspension?
The return episode drew 6.26 million viewers, the highest for a regular episode in the show’s history.
Q3: Where can fans watch Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension monologue?
ABC uploaded the monologue to YouTube, where it has already surpassed 15 million views.
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