Jimmy Kimmel Live! to return Tuesday after six-day suspension, Disney confirms

Jimmy Kimmel show to return Tuesday: Disney

Jimmy Kimmel's late-night talk show, which was abruptly taken off the air last week following warnings from the US government to broadcasters, is scheduled to return on Tuesday, Disney announced Monday.

Disney’s ABC had previously pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live” indefinitely after comments the host made regarding the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The suspension came amid complaints from conservatives about Kimmel’s remarks following Kirk’s shooting.

"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 followed a warning from the head of the top U.S. communications regulator to Disney, after Kimmel’s comments triggered controversy.

President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly pressured broadcasters to stop airing content he deemed objectionable and urged the Federal Communications Commission to revoke licenses from certain stations, celebrated the announcement in a social media post.

Why was the show off aired? 

During a recent episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Jimmy Kimmel criticized efforts to politicize the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk while extending condolences to Kirk’s family and other victims of gun violence. “Instead of the angry finger-pointing, can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human?” Kimmel wrote on social media.

In his monologue, Kimmel specifically targeted Republicans he claimed were attempting to exploit Kirk’s shooting for political gain. "We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA 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," he said.

Referring to a video of former President Donald Trump mourning Kirk, Kimmel added, “This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish.”

Despite Kimmel’s intentions, ABC and local station owner Nexstar Media preempted the show, stating that his comments were “offensive and insensitive” and “do not reflect the spectrum of opinions, views, or values of the local communities.” Nexstar subsequently halted broadcasts of the program across its 200+ stations.

The suspension occurred amid heightened political tensions. FCC Chair Brendan Carr praised Nexstar for pushing back against programming that “falls short of community values,” while former President Trump applauded the temporary removal on Truth Social.

Kimmel, a veteran late-night host, made the remarks on his Monday night show, which ABC has been airing since 2003. The suspension followed the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, a close Trump ally, during an event at Utah Valley University. Police have arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, who allegedly fired a rifle from a rooftop, striking Kirk in the neck.

Hollywood stars condemned Kimmel show suspension

Before Disney reversed its decision on Monday, a group of Hollywood stars signed an open letter criticizing the pull of Jimmy Kimmel’s show as "a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation (that is) unconstitutional and un-American."

"The government is threatening private companies and individuals that the President disagrees with. We can't let this threat to our freedom of speech go unanswered," the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) stated in the letter.

Signatories included Marvel star Pedro Pascal, Tom Hanks, Jennifer Aniston, Meryl Streep, and Robert De Niro.

(With agency inputs)