Disney announced that Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night talk show will resume airing on Tuesday, nearly a week after it was abruptly pulled from ABC’s lineup following complaints from conservatives and threats from the US government.
The suspension came in the wake of comments Kimmel made about the shooting of Christian activist Charlie Kirk, which sparked backlash from conservative groups.
In a statement, Disney said the show’s temporary halt was intended “to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country.”
The company added that, after “thoughtful conversations” with Kimmel, the decision was made to bring the show back on air.
Kimmel’s disappearance from the airwaves fuelled debate over free speech, with liberal commentators accusing the Trump administration of targeting the host for his frequent criticism of the President.
Trump, however, celebrated the suspension, calling it “Great News for America.”
Some conservatives, including Senator Ted Cruz and broadcaster Tucker Carlson, also expressed unease over the government’s involvement.
The controversy began following the death of Kirk, a close Trump ally, on a Utah university campus. Kimmel, in his show-opening monologue last Monday, criticised the President’s response, highlighting his focus on building a new ballroom at the White House rather than addressing Kirk’s death.
“This is not how an adult grieves… This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish,” Kimmel said, drawing laughter from the studio audience.
Two days later, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr threatened ABC affiliates with potential license revocations if they continued airing Kimmel’s show.
In response, major station groups, including Nexstar and Sinclair, pulled the show from their networks.
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While Disney plans to resume broadcasting, Sinclair has announced it will continue to preempt the program, replacing it with news content.
Before Disney’s reversal, dozens of Hollywood stars signed an open letter organized by the ACLU, condemning the suspension as a “dark moment for freedom of speech” and unconstitutional.
Signatories included Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Jennifer Aniston, Robert De Niro, and Pedro Pascal. The ACLU welcomed Disney’s announcement, calling it “the right call.”
The Kimmel episode and its aftermath have reignited discussions about government influence on private media, free speech, and the polarised political climate in the United States.
