Jimmy Kimmel Live Return Date Revealed as Disney Finally Breaks Silence
Jimmy Kimmel is headed back to ABC: after an FCC threat halted Jimmy Kimmel Live! and ignited a Hollywood firestorm over alleged Trump Administration interference, Disney says the late-night show now has a return date.
After a chaotic week that somehow roped the FCC, Disney, and local TV affiliates into a fight over a late-night monologue, Jimmy Kimmel Live! is headed back to ABC. Here is where things stand and why this got so messy.
How we got here
Last week, ABC shut down production on Jimmy Kimmel Live! after the FCC openly threatened action against the network and its license over Kimmel's comments about Charlie Kirk's death. That move kicked off a wider industry backlash, with a number of Hollywood organizations and public figures calling it an attack on free speech by the Trump Administration. An FCC license fight over a comedian's monologue is not typical late-night drama.
When the show returns
Per The Hollywood Reporter, ABC (owned by Disney) and Kimmel have reached an agreement to resume. The show returns to broadcast on Tuesday, September 23, 2025.
Disney's explanation
"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. It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive. 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."
Will it air everywhere?
That part is still up in the air. THR notes it is not yet clear if the show will be cleared nationwide when it returns. This is where the inside baseball kicks in: affiliates can choose to preempt even a network late-night show.
- Sinclair says it will not put Kimmel back on its stations unless he apologizes for his comments, meets with Sinclair representatives, and makes a donation to Turning Point, the group Charlie Kirk founded. Sinclair owns the ABC station in the Washington, D.C. area, among other markets.
- Nexstar could also keep preempting the show. Even if some stations skip it, the episode will still be available online across the country after it airs on ABC.
What this means for Kimmel's future
THR also points out that Kimmel's contract with ABC ends next year. Whether this suspension nudges him toward the exit or convinces him to stick around is an open question.