Jimmy Kimmel’s Show Sees Ratings Surge Despite Preemptions by Major Networks

Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night talk show saw its highest ratings in a decade on September 23, 2025, with 6.26 million viewers tuning in to ABC. The show’s return followed a brief suspension due to controversial comments Kimmel made about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer. Despite the boost in viewership, Kimmel’s program was not aired by affiliates owned by Nexstar Media and Sinclair Broadcast Group, which continued to preempt the show. Kimmel’s monologue from the episode generated more than 26 million views on social media, including 20 million on YouTube alone. Kimmel addressed previous comments made by Donald Trump, who had criticized Kimmel’s talent and ratings. The episode’s success led to a 0.87 rating among adults aged 18 to 49, marking its highest viewership for a regularly scheduled episode in over 10 years. This surge follows a period of declining subscribers for Disney+, which had suspended Kimmel’s show due to FCC chairman Brendan Carr’s threats of investigation. Despite these challenges, Kimmel’s return has resulted in increased attention, with new monologues also seeing high viewership numbers on platforms like YouTube.