Jimmy Kimmel Show to Return on Tuesday

Disney announced on Monday that Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night talk show will return to air on Tuesday, after it was abruptly pulled last week following government pressure on broadcasters.

ABC, owned by Disney, had suspended the show after conservative backlash over comments Kimmel made following the shooting of Christian activist Charlie Kirk.

A company statement read: “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.”

Kimmel’s sudden disappearance from airwaves sparked anger among liberal Americans, who argued that the move targeted Kimmel because of his frequent criticism of President Donald Trump. Trump celebrated the suspension, calling it “Great News for America.”

Concerns about government overreach and free speech were also expressed by some on the political right, including Senator Ted Cruz and broadcaster Tucker Carlson.

The controversy arose a week after Kirk, a Trump ally, was shot dead on a Utah university campus. Authorities have charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson and have not indicated anyone else is being sought.

In his monologue on the Monday before the suspension, Kimmel criticised the Trump administration’s response: “This is not how an adult grieves the murder of somebody called a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish.”

Two days later, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr threatened ABC affiliates’ licences if they continued broadcasting the show.

Media companies Nexstar and Sinclair, which own multiple ABC affiliates, removed the show from their stations. While Nexstar temporarily yanked the show, Sinclair announced it would not return it, replacing it with news programming, despite Disney’s decision to resume broadcasting.

Before Disney reversed its suspension, Hollywood stars issued an open letter condemning the removal as “a dark moment for freedom of speech… unconstitutional and un-American.” The letter, endorsed by the ACLU, was signed by Pedro Pascal, Tom Hanks, Jennifer Aniston, Meryl Streep, and Robert De Niro.

The ACLU welcomed Monday’s announcement, stating:”ABC made the right call.”

This resolution allows the show to resume broadcasting, though some affiliates may continue to preempt the programme, highlighting ongoing tensions between media companies, the government, and content creators.