Jimmy Kimmel Live! attracted 6.3 million viewers on Tuesday night, setting a new record as the most-watched regular episode in the show’s history.
The ratings milestone came after ABC suspended the program for six days. The network acted following backlash over Kimmel’s comments about the killing of activist Charlie Kirk. The Trump administration and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reportedly pressured ABC, which described Kimmel’s remarks as “ill-timed and insensitive.”
Kimmel returned with a 28-minute monologue focused on free speech. He joked that attempts to cancel him only boosted viewership. The episode’s audience was more than four times higher than the show’s usual 1.6 million average. Among adults aged 18–49, it achieved a 0.87 rating, the best for a regular episode since 2015.
Despite the strong ratings, the show did not air nationwide. Stations owned by Nexstar and Sinclair preempted the broadcast in about 23% of U.S. homes, including markets such as Washington, D.C., Seattle, Nashville, Salt Lake City, Portland, St. Louis, and New Orleans. Nexstar said it is reviewing the show’s status, while Sinclair stated it is monitoring the situation.
Online, Kimmel’s monologue gained over 26 million views on YouTube and social media, setting a new digital record for the late-night host and expanding the episode’s total reach to tens of millions of viewers.
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