Overview
- ABC confirmed a one-year deal that carries the show to at least May 2027, a departure from Kimmel's prior three‑year extensions.
- Reports note the agreement may have been finalized over the summer, adding nuance to the timing relative to Kimmel’s September suspension.
- Disney/ABC briefly pulled the show in September after Kimmel’s monologue on the killing of Charlie Kirk, as FCC chair Brendan Carr publicly warned of consequences.
- Large station groups including Sinclair and Nexstar, along with dozens of local affiliates, refused to air the program and many have maintained those blocks after the show’s return.
- Kimmel’s comeback drew about 6.3 million viewers and he framed his return as a defense of free speech, while President Donald Trump continued to attack him and peers like David Letterman publicly voiced support.