Jimmy Kimmel Live to Return Tuesday, but Sinclair ABC Stations Will Preempt

Jimmy Kimmel Live is set to return to ABC on Tuesday night after a nearly week-long suspension, but not all viewers will see it. Sinclair Broadcast Group, one of the country’s largest owners of local TV stations, says its ABC affiliates will continue to preempt the show, replacing it with news programming.

The move comes after Disney temporarily pulled Kimmel from the air following backlash over comments he made about the MAGA movement’s reaction to conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination. The controversy escalated when FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, a close ally of President Trump, publicly suggested Kimmel should be suspended. Within hours, Sinclair and Nexstar announced they would preempt the program locally, prompting ABC to suspend it altogether.

Disney explained its decision in a statement Monday, saying production was halted “to avoid further inflaming a tense situation.” After discussions with Kimmel, the network decided to bring him back. Kimmel is expected to address the controversy in his Tuesday night monologue.

More than 400 artists, including Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, and Jennifer Aniston, signed an ACLU-backed open letter supporting Kimmel. PEN America also welcomed his return, calling it a “vindication for free speech.”

The suspension has raised questions about political pressure on media outlets. FCC Commissioner Anna M. Gomez, the lone Democrat on the commission, praised Disney’s decision to reinstate Kimmel while warning of the risks of government intimidation.

Meanwhile, Nexstar has not commented on whether its ABC stations will resume airing the program. The situation comes at a challenging time for Disney, which faces government review of key deals and declining late-night TV ratings.

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