Jimmy Kimmel Live! Returns to ABC After Suspension

Jimmy Kimmel Live! is set to return to ABC on Tuesday night after a brief hiatus. The suspension of the show occurred due to remarks made by Kimmel in his monologue about the homicide of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

The suspension is bringing lots of attention, with media and online discussions on the limits of free speech, the responsibility of comedy and entertainment in a time of political polarization, and how that polarization interacts with television. All the fans are looking forward to the return and it will be glad to hear it will be back shortly.

What Happened That Led to the Suspension

As part of his monologue, Jimmy Kimmel made comments about the alleged murderer of Charlie Kirk implying an affiliation with the "MAGA gang" in his comments, which raised backlash from conservatives and right-wing media personalities. To avoid further escalation of the comments and ensuing backlash, ABC, Disney specifically, suspended the show beginning on September 17, 2025. ABC clarify that they were not trying to escalate Olympic tension but were doing with to have a discussion with Kimmel during his 2-week suspension. 

ABC’s Decision to Bring the Show Back

Following some negotiations with Jimmy Kimmel, ABC has revealed that the series will pick back up on Tuesday night. The network emphasized that the suspension was a temporary response to a delicate matter. The network stated they had conversations with Kimmel during this timeframe, but ultimately decided to return the show to its regularly scheduled time arrangement.

BREAKING: Jimmy Kimmel show will be back on air this week.

Disney and ABC caved. pic.twitter.com/mXViVbGvVT

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) September 22, 2025

Mixed Reactions From ABC Affiliates

Although ABC has decided to bring the program back, not all of its affiliates will be airing the series. Sinclair Broadcast Group, a parent company to 39 ABC affiliated stations, announced it would not air Jimmy Kimmel Live! for the time being. 

Sinclair stated it would like a direct apology from Kimmel and for Kimmel to donate to the family of Charlie Kirk before it could potentially re-evaluate its decision. This decision exemplifies the independence with which affiliate stations can make decisions about programming, particularly with respect to their particular audiences and standards.

What This Means for Jimmy Kimmel’s Career

While there have been bumps in the road due to the controversy, Kimmel's return suggests that ABC still supports the actor-comedian’s show. In the next few weeks, Kimmel may approach politically sensitive material more cautiously, but the controversy also serves as evidence that he has experience successfully navigating difficult issues.

Fans and haters will likely pay close attention to the next episodes of the show, to see how Kimmel, if at all, addresses his latest problem and how the show adapts moving forward.

Fan Reactions and Public Opinion

Fans are expressing very different reactions on social media. A longtime viewer said they were "thrilled to see Kimmel back on our screen" and "couldn't wait to have some more laughter in the world." This same viewer went on to say that they had "missed Kimmel's unique humor and energy," which many on social media also echoed. However, not everyone was happy with the return of Kimmel, with social media tone echoing fans who followed Conservative Groups who took a similar view. Many of the debate was along the same lines of querying the need for comedy or insensitivity in a tragedy.

Social media had lively debate, memes, and prompts about the "limits" to comedy, free speech and accountability around tragedy. This public debate reflects how connected audiences are to both forms of entertainment and the ongoing political discourse of today.