Jimmy Kimmel will soon be back on the air.
His late-night talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” — which Disney suspended following the host’s comments about the Charlie Kirk assassination — will return to ABC on Tuesday, the company announced.
“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,” said a statement from the network.
The announcement came following days of backlash from those who viewed the suspension as a threat to freedom of speech – which included an open letter from more than 400 celebrities released Monday by the American Civil Liberties Union.
Celebrities, politicians and many others reacted to the news of Kimmel’s return, with some supportive of the host and others criticizing the decision to put him back on the air.
“Cannot wait to hear @JimmyKimmel’s monologue tomorrow,” comedian and former talks how host Ellen DeGeneres wrote on Instagram.
Actor Ben Stiller posted celebratory emojis on X.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom called out Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr.
“Thank you to everyone but @BrendanCarrFCC. This is a win for free speech everywhere,” he wrote on X.
Actor Mark Hamill, in a post on Threads, shared a screenshot of story with the headline “KIMMEL BACK!”
“Meltdown on ‘Truth’ Social in 5… 4… 3… 2…”, he wrote.
“Protest matters. Use your voice,” actor Alyssa Milano wrote on Instagram.
Actor Rosie O’Donnell wrote “the sun will come out – tomorrow #jimmykimmellive” in an Instagram caption.
Author Don Winslow wrote that Kimmel’s return was the result of Disney’s financial loss.
The ONLY reason @Disney is bringing @jimmykimmel back is because the American people stood up, called out the executives by name, Disney’s stock plummeted and Disney lost a lot of money.
Get it?
That’s the playbook for the next three years of Trump.YOU must be LOUDER than him.
— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) September 22, 2025
Senator Chuck Schumer wrote, “This is about fighting for free speech and against these abuses by Donald Trump and Brendan Carr.”
This is big: Jimmy Kimmel is coming back!
This is about fighting for free speech and against these abuses by Donald Trump and Brendan Carr.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) September 22, 2025
Comedian Gianmarco Soresi joked that Kimmel’s suspension and return to air could result in a ratings boost.
Ironically this whole fiasco is gonna do wonders for Jimmy Kimmel’s ratings
— gianmarco (@GianmarcoSoresi) September 22, 2025
Not all celebrated Kimmel’s return.
ABC suspended Kimmel indefinitely on Wednesday after comments he made about Kirk, who was killed Sept. 10. Kimmel said “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.”
Backlash to Kimmel’s comments was swift. Nexstar and Sinclair, two of ABC’s largest affiliate owners, said they would be pulling “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from their stations.
ABC announced the suspension later that day — and, five days later, announced Kimmel’s return.
Media personality Piers Morgan, in response to Kimmel’s return to the air, wrote: “So, Kimmel wasn’t cancelled by Trump or the FCC after all – but temporarily suspended by his employer because they thought what he said was ill-timed and insensitive.”
So, Kimmel wasn’t cancelled by Trump or the FCC after all – but temporarily suspended by his employer because they thought what he said was ill-timed and insensitive. https://t.co/oWDrstgEFU
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) September 22, 2025
Former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly and conservative commentator Matt Walsh both mentioned Kimmel’s brief suspension.
Must be nice to be a leftist. “Cancellation” lasts 5 nights and you’re right back under klieg lights.
On the right you’re underground.— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) September 22, 2025
Kimmel’s show was put on pause for like 3 days and yet leftists will look us dead in the eyes and tell us that this was a greater attack on free speech than shooting and killing Charlie Kirk https://t.co/vJKNxp27bq
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) September 22, 2025
Andrew Kolvet, spokesman for Turning Point USA, the conservative organization founded by Charlie Kirk, called for Nextstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group, which own many ABC affiliate stations, to refuse to broadcast Kimmel’s show.
Disney and ABC caving and allowing Kimmell back on the air is not surprising, but it’s their mistake to make.
Nextstar and Sinclair do not have to make the same choice.
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) September 22, 2025
“Disney and ABC caving and allowing Kimmell back on the air is not surprising, but it’s their mistake to make. Nextstar and Sinclair do not have to make the same choice,” he wrote.
