TV news: Jimmy Kimmel Live! is back on screens - and fans are thrilled
After almost a week of being suspended, Jimmy Kimmel Live! returned to some American TV screens last Tuesday.
The host’s comeback resulted in the show’s highest rating in a decade, according to Disney, with around 6.26 million people tuning in to see his return.
Film News Blitz’s Rhys Rogers looks into the reaction.
A blockbuster return
With average viewing figures in the 2024-25 season sitting at just under 1.5 million viewers, Tuesday’s show broke records with triple the number of normal viewers.
These stats are all the more surprising considering that around a quarter of ABC stations in the USA, such as Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar, didn’t air the program in a continued show of protest.
The protests stemmed from opposition to comments Kimmel made in relation to Donald Trump’s reaction to the death of far-right influencer Charlie Kirk.
Last Tuesday’s show began with a monologue that lasted 28 minutes, where an emotional Kimmel apologised if it seemed that he made light of Kirk’s murder.
However, he also criticised Trump for suggesting his fellow late-night hosts should be axed for critiquing the president.
Trump spoke out about Kimmel’s reinstatement, writing on social media that he “can’t believe ABC Fake News” gave him his job back.
Opposition subsides
Despite Trump’s continued opposition, the challenge set by the likes of Sinclair and Nexstar has subsided.
The duo are responsible for 20% of ABC affiliates, and their original stance against bringing Kimmel back to screens was described by the man himself as “un-American."
But it took just days after Kimmel’s return for both parties to make a U-turn, with a Sinclair statement commenting that "thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers and community leaders” led to them reinstating the show.
Nexstar, meanwhile, released a statement claiming their changing stance was "in the best interest of the communities we serve".
READ NEXT: TV news: Jimmy Kimmel's show returns to ABC
