Disney Says ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ to Return After Backlash

Walt Disney Co. said Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return to the air on Tuesday, ending a suspension imposed following controversial remarks its ABC late-night host made about the assassination of Republican 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,” Disney said in a statement.

The statement gave no indication whether Kimmel would address the controversy on his return. The network pulled the show on Sept. 17, two days after Kimmel, 57, said conservatives were trying to score political points from the killing. “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,” Disney said. “It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive. “

Kimmel and the network have been working to find a path for the show to return. Disney was under pressure from Brendan Carr, the Republican chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, who had threatened the company’s broadcast licenses. Two major owners of ABC stations, Nexstar Media Group Inc. and Sinclair Inc., had preempted the program.

Kimmel’s remarks about the Sept. 10 assassination of Kirk drew a backlash from conservatives led by President Donald Trump and Carr.

“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterize this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said in his Sept. 15 monologue.

Kimmel’s contract with Disney is due to expire in May 2026. A former radio host, he has been hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live! since 2003. Beyond his flagship show, he has other business with Disney, which has included emceeing the Oscars, appearing regularly at the company’s annual presentation to advertisers and hosting the rebooted Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

Kimmel started his career as a radio host in Seattle, later moving to Tampa, Tucson and, eventually, Los Angeles. He is one of the longest-serving late-night talk shows hosts in TV history. He has reduced his workload in recent years, taking the summers off from the show.

“I think this is my final contract, I hate to even say it, because everyone’s laughing at me now — each time I think that, and then it turns out to be not the case,” Kimmel told the Los Angeles Times in 2024. “I still have a little more than two years left on my contract, and that seems pretty good, that seems like enough.”

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