Disney Announces Jimmy Kimmel Show Will Return Tuesday After Controversial Suspension

Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night talk show will return on Tuesday, Disney confirmed on Monday, following a week-long suspension that came after the U.S. government threatened broadcasters over Kimmel’s remarks on the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

The show, aired on ABC (owned by Disney), was abruptly pulled after conservative backlash over Kimmel’s comments.

“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,” Disney said in a statement.

“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.”

Kimmel’s sudden removal from the airwaves, which followed government pressure on ABC affiliates, drew widespread criticism. Many liberals accused authorities of targeting Kimmel because of his frequent criticism of former President Donald Trump. Trump had praised the decision, calling it “Great News for America.”

Opponents, however, saw the suspension as another step toward government control of free speech. Even some conservatives voiced unease, including Senator Ted Cruz and commentator Tucker Carlson.

The controversy began after Kimmel criticized Trump’s response to Kirk’s murder in his opening monologue, mocking the former president for boasting about a new White House ballroom during an interview on the tragedy. “This is not how an adult grieves the murder of somebody called a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish,” Kimmel said, drawing laughter from the audience.

Two days later, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr threatened the licenses of ABC affiliates that continued to air the program. Nexstar, one of the largest owners of ABC stations and currently seeking FCC approval for a multi-billion-dollar merger, quickly announced it would no longer broadcast the show. ABC subsequently pulled the program nationwide.

Before Disney’s reversal, several Hollywood celebrities, along with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), condemned the suspension in an open letter, describing it as “a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation (that is) unconstitutional and un-American.”

“The government is threatening private companies and individuals that the President disagrees with. We can’t let this threat to our freedom of speech go unanswered,” the letter read.

Signatories included Pedro Pascal, Tom Hanks, Jennifer Aniston, Meryl Streep, and Robert De Niro.

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