TLDR
- Disney announced Jimmy Kimmel Live will return Tuesday night after six-day suspension
- Show was pulled after Kimmel’s controversial comments about Charlie Kirk shooting
- Nexstar and Sinclair stations, representing 68 ABC affiliates, threatened not to air the show
- FCC Chair Brendan Carr pressured Disney to take action against Kimmel
- Over 400 Hollywood celebrities signed letter defending Kimmel’s free speech rights
Disney announced Monday that Jimmy Kimmel Live will return to ABC Tuesday night. The late-night show was suspended last Wednesday following controversial comments about the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
🚨 ALERT: Just because Disney is reinstating Jimmy Kimmel does NOT mean ABC affiliates have to air his show
Nexstar and Sinclair own a combined **63** ABC stations
They do NOT have to air his show.
GET LOUD! Tell @NXSTMediaGroup and Sinclair to KEEP KIMMEL OFF AIR!
Call… pic.twitter.com/Ls4RrKYrmx
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 22, 2025
The entertainment giant made the decision after what it called “thoughtful conversations” with Kimmel. Disney initially suspended the show to avoid “further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country.”
The company acknowledged that some of Kimmel’s comments were “ill-timed and thus insensitive.” The host is expected to directly address the controversy during Tuesday night’s broadcast.
Pressure from Station Owners and Regulators
The suspension came after major pressure from local station owners. Nexstar Media Group, which owns or operates around 30 local ABC stations, said it would not air the show. Sinclair, which runs 38 ABC affiliates, made similar threats.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr escalated the situation by suggesting federal intervention. “This is a very serious issue right now for Disney,” Carr told podcaster Benny Johnson. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”
Carr’s comments came just hours before Disney suspended the show. He warned that companies could “take action on Kimmel” or face “additional work for the FCC ahead.”
Sinclair announced it will continue preempting the show across its ABC affiliate stations. The broadcaster plans to replace Kimmel’s show with news programming while discussions with Disney continue.
Hollywood Rallies Behind Kimmel
More than 400 Hollywood celebrities stepped up to defend Kimmel during the suspension. The American Civil Liberties Union released an open letter signed by major stars including Jennifer Aniston, Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, and Ben Stiller.
The letter called Disney’s initial suspension a “dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation.” It warned against government threats that pressure artists, journalists, and companies.
The celebrity support likely played a role in Disney’s decision to reverse course. The quick turnaround suggests the company faced pressure from multiple directions.
Disney stock moved up 0.4% to $112.98 in premarket trading Tuesday. The stock had closed 1% lower in the previous session as investors weighed the controversy’s impact.
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