Jimmy Kimmel’s ‘JKL!’ return shatters ratings despite blackouts
Record audience on Sept. 23, 2025, underscored the power of a return, even as Nexstar and Sinclair preempted broadcasts and ongoing debates over editorial decisions linger.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! returned to the late-night desk on Sept. 23, 2025, with a record audience that underscored the show’s enduring pull. Across ABC affiliates nationwide, the episode drew about 6.3 million viewers, according to Variety citing Nielsen preliminary data. The number marks the largest audience for a regularly scheduled JKL! episode in the program’s more than 22-year history and a roughly 343% jump over last season’s average of about 1.4 million viewers, reflecting the pent-up demand for the comedian’s return after a brief production pause. The victory on the ratings metric came even as the program faced a substantial distribution barrier: Nexstar and Sinclair, two of the largest owners of local ABC affiliates, preempted the show on roughly a quarter of U.S. households, limiting reach as the network navigated the fallout from Kimmel’s remarks about Charlie Kirk.
During the week leading up to the return, Disney, which owns ABC, suspended production of the show after Kimmel’s remarks drew sharp conservative backlash in the wake of Kirk’s death and the subsequent political discourse surrounding it. Kirk, a conservative activist, was shot dead on Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Kirk’s death spurred political debate about media coverage and accountability, which in turn fed into the decision to pause production while the parties discussed how to move forward. Tyler Robinson, a Turning Point USA founder supporter’s suspected killer, was later arrested and charged in connection with the case.
Meanwhile, ABC and Disney framed the suspension as a temporary measure intended to avoid inflaming an already tense moment. Disney’s statement said the decision to suspend was made because certain comments were ill-timed and insensitive, and that the company had spent several days in conversations with Kimmel about a path ahead. The broadcaster signaled that production would resume once it was appropriate, and those conversations culminated in a planned return on Tuesday. The network also emphasized that it would work with affiliates to ensure programming remains reflective of the communities served.
The comeback itself featured Kimmel addressing the controversy from the outset. He told viewers that it was never his intention to make light of a murder and that he understood why some viewers were upset. In his opening remarks, he said, “You understand that it was never my intention to make light of a murder of a young man.” He added that he did not believe there was anything funny about the crime and sought to clarify that he did not view the alleged killer as representative of a broader political movement. “I don’t think the murderer who shot Charlie Kirk represents anyone,” he said, acknowledging the rawness of the moment while attempting to reframe the conversation around violence and responsibility. He also acknowledged that some of his framing—specifically the idea that the suspect was connected to a political faction—had been ill-timed or unclear, and he indicated that he would continue to reflect on the balance between humor and seriousness in times of crisis.
The return did not erase the broader picture of how the episode was distributed across the country. Nexstar, in particular, said it would continue evaluating the status of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on its ABC-affiliated stations and noted that the program would be preempted “for the foreseeable future” as those assessments continued. A Nexstar statement, issued Sept. 24, reiterated that executives were engaged in productive discussions with Disney, with the focus on ensuring the program reflects diverse interests of the communities served. The ongoing preemption highlights the tensions between network programming and local station discretion in the current media environment.
The episode’s startling numbers, achieved despite partial blackouts, have intensified the ongoing debate about the boundaries of sensational political commentary in late-night television and the role of major station owners in shaping what audiences can watch in real time. Industry observers noted that while Kimmel’s return generated a powerful audience signal, the blackout reduced overall reach and could influence future scheduling and content decisions. The situation also underscores how fast-changing media dynamics—ownership structures, affiliate preemptions, and audience behavior—can collide with a single night of high-profile programming.
Beyond the immediate ratings, the episode sits at the intersection of entertainment, politics, and press accountability. Disney’s ongoing engagement with Nexstar and other affiliates will likely shape how late-night hosts navigate controversial topics going forward, particularly when commentary intersects with real-world incidents that shock or polarize audiences. The broader public conversation about media responsibility, platform rights, and the balance between humor and solemn reflection remains at the forefront as networks reassess how to respond to public sentiment while preserving journalistic and creative integrity.
As the calendar moves forward, industry watchers will be paying close attention to how much of the audience return is sustained in the weeks ahead, and whether the blackout period translates into longer-term shifts in viewership patterns for late-night television. The Kimmel episode’s record-setting performance proves that the appetite for candid late-night conversation remains substantial, even as the entertainment landscape continues to recalibrate around ownership, distribution, and accountability in the digital age.
