Jimmy Kimmel Set To Return Tuesday After Suspension Over Charlie Kirk Comments
on Sep 22, 2025
Jimmy Kimmel Suspended Following His Remarks Surrounding Charlie Kirk
Late-night talk show host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel had his show Jimmy Kimmel Live! suspended last week following remarks he made in the aftermath of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk’s tragic death.
The comments Kimmel made in the lead-up to his suspension were:
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang 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.”
After this, Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcasting Group, which both operate large numbers of ABC affiliates, announced Wednesday, (September 17) that it would preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live on its ABC channels effective immediately.
“Mr. Kimmel’s comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views, or values of the local communities in which we are located,” Nexstar’s broadcasting chief Andrew Alford said in a press release.
ABC Affiliates Demand Kimmel Apologize
Sinclair Broadcast Group later announced it would not allow the show to be aired on its stations again unless Kimmel apologized to Kirk’s family and made a “meaningful personal donation” to TPUSA.
“Mr. Kimmel’s remarks were inappropriate and deeply insensitive at a critical moment for our country,” Sinclair Vice Chairman Jason Smith said in a statement on September 18. “We believe broadcasters have a responsibility to educate and elevate respectful, constructive dialogue in our communities.”
A statement from the company also read:
“Sinclair also calls upon Mr Kimmel to issue a direct apology to the Kirk family. Furthermore, we ask Mr Kimmel to make a meaningful personal donation to the Kirk Family and Turning Point USA.”
Jimmy Kimmel Live! Set To Return Tuesday, September 23
In a statement on Monday (September 22), Disney (ABC’s parent company) revealed plans to bring the show back to the ABC broadcast network beginning Tuesday (September 23).
“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,” Disney said in the statement. “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 Hollywood Reporter shares that it remains unknown if Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be available to watch across the country. As noted previously, Sinclair said it would not bring the show back to its stations unless Kimmel apologized and donated to Turning Point. Sinclair owns the ABC station in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Nexstar could also continue the show’s suspension.
The Hollywood Reporter details that Kimmel’s current contract ends next year (2026).
This is a developing story and will be updated.
