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Jimmy Kimmel Live! achieved record viewership during its return following a brief suspension of its host due to controversial remarks regarding the assassination of political influencer Charlie Kirk.
According to preliminary Nielsen ratings, over 6 million viewers nationwide watched Kimmel’s comeback on Tuesday night, despite ongoing broadcast restrictions from major networks. This figure marks the show’s highest ratings in nearly a decade, as reported by ABC. Although the show did not reach a quarter of U.S. households due to Nexstar and Sinclair’s broadcast bans, millions more accessed the program online.
During his monologue, Kimmel joked about former President Donald Trump’s failed attempts to cancel the show, stating, “[Trump] tried his best to cancel me. Instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show. Backfired bigly.”
Kimmel refrained from directly apologizing for his remarks about Kirk’s assassination, which had drawn significant backlash. He had implied that the accused killer, Tyler Robinson, was part of the “MAGA gang,” despite evidence suggesting Robinson holds left-wing views.
Kirk’s producer criticized Kimmel for his comments, and the White House also commented on the situation. Vice President JD Vance, a close friend of Kirk, noted in an interview with NewsNation, “I watched it and, look, in some ways, it was kind of kindhearted. On the other hand, he didn’t actually say sorry to Charlie Kirk or his family.”
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Like many late-night shows, Kimmel’s program has faced challenges in recent years. In 2015, Kimmel averaged 2.4 million viewers, but he now typically draws about 1.42 million per night, as reported by ABC. This year, Kimmel’s ratings had been declining, prompting questions about the future of the show as his ABC contract approaches expiration next year. In August 2025, Jimmy Kimmel Live! fell to approximately 1 million viewers, a 43% drop from January’s 1.95 million, according to monthly Nielsen data.
