Jimmy Kimmel Live! to return to ABC after brief suspension

ABC announced 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' will return Tuesday after a week-long suspension following controversial remarks about Charlie Kirk's alleged assassin.

22 sept 2025 - 20:21 • 3 min read

“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is set to return to ABC on Tuesday, the Walt Disney Company announced Monday, ending a week-long suspension of the late-night show.

ABC had indefinitely taken the show off the air last Wednesday after host Jimmy Kimmel made comments linking the alleged assassin of conservative activist Charlie Kirk to the MAGA movement. The suspension sparked a national debate about free speech and government influence in broadcasting.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Disney, ABC’s parent company, said the decision to suspend production was made “to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country.” The spokesperson added that the comments were considered “ill-timed and thus insensitive,” and that “thoughtful conversations” with Kimmel led to the decision for the show to resume.

The late-night host is expected to address the controversy on Tuesday's taping of his show.

The suspension followed remarks made by Kimmel on his show regarding Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk. Kimmel suggested that Robinson was a member of the MAGA movement, an assertion that drew criticism from conservatives and a veiled threat from Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr.

Carr had suggested that ABC’s broadcast license could be at risk due to Kimmel's comments, stating that the FCC would explore “remedies.”

The situation intensified when two major broadcast station owners, Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair, announced their affiliated ABC stations would preempt Kimmel’s show. Sinclair stated it would not lift the suspension without formal discussions with ABC regarding “professionalism and accountability.” Representatives for Nexstar and Sinclair did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding future airings.

Disney executives, including CEO Bob Iger and Disney Entertainment co-chair Dana Walden, were involved in the decision-making process. Sources indicated that Walden believed Kimmel’s planned remarks to address the controversy on Wednesday could have worsened the situation, leading to the decision to bench the show.

Kimmel’s representatives and Disney executives engaged in discussions for several days before reaching a compromise. The host has not publicly commented on the suspension.

The suspension drew comparisons to CBS’s recent cancellation of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and raised concerns about free speech in the current media landscape, particularly given the intensified scrutiny of media companies by the Trump administration.

Many in the entertainment industry, including late-night hosts Stephen Colbert and David Letterman, rallied behind Kimmel, calling the administration's influence a form of censorship. Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner also criticized the FCC’s “intimidation” of ABC.

While some experts suggested pulling Kimmel posed a brand risk by appearing to comply with political pressure, others argued that keeping him on air would have led to immediate financial fallout from advertisers. Advertisers are reportedly hypersensitive to controversy, with concerns that their brands could be associated with content deemed offensive or insensitive.

Charlie Kirk was assassinated on September 10th during an event at Utah Valley University. Robinson, the alleged shooter, was reportedly romantically linked to a transgender partner, and FBI-released text messages reportedly show him confessing to the murder.