Jimmy Kimmel show returns: ABC reinstates talk show pulled over Charlie Kirk remarks; ‘thoughtful conversations’ cited by network

Disney-owned ABC announced Monday that it will reinstate Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show. The show had been pulled indefinitely following controversy over his remarks about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.“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 network, as quoted by Associated Press.The network had suspended Kimmel indefinitely following his monologue about Kirk, who was killed September 10. Kimmel had commented that “many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk” and that “the MAGA gang” was “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.”Since 2003, Kimmel has been hosting “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on ABC, establishing himself as a prominent figure in television and comedy. He has also served as Academy Awards host four times.The reaction to Kimmel’s Kirk comments was immediate. Major ABC affiliate owners Nexstar and Sinclair announced they would remove his show from their stations, while several comedians voiced their support.US President Donald Trump, often criticised by Kimmel, celebrated the suspension on social media as “great news for America” and called for the dismissal of other late night hosts as well.In a previous Variety interview, Kimmel had expressed concerns about potential restrictions on comedians, stating, “Well, you’d have to be naive not to worry a little bit. But that can’t change what you’re doing.”The suspension occurred during a period of increased media control attempts by Trump and his administration through threats, lawsuits and government pressure. Trump has reached settlements with ABC and CBS regarding their coverage.Trump has initiated defamation cases against The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. Congressional Republicans have eliminated federal funding for NPR and PBS.FCC head Brendan Carr issued a pre-suspension warning criticising Kimmel’s assassination comments, stating, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”This suspension coincides with changes in late night television, including CBS’s summer announcement of Stephen Colbert’s show cancellation.Kimmel’s Disney-owned network contract was set to end in May 2026.The reinstatement announcement arrived alongside an open letter from over 430 entertainment industry figures, including Robert De Niro, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Selena Gomez, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep, advocating for constitutional rights protection.The ACLU-backed letter describes the situation as “a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation.”