Jimmy Kimmel has been suspended from future broadcasts of his late-night comedy show Jimmy Kimmel Live! “indefinitely,” according to a statement from ABC, raising questions about the program’s future. The decision comes just two months after CBS canceled Stephen Colbert’s late-night show, marking another shakeup in the late-night television landscape.
The move follows controversial remarks made by Kimmel regarding the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and the suspected shooter, Tyler Robinson. While ABC has not officially canceled the show, viewers are left uncertain about whether the suspension will lead to a permanent termination.
ABC’s Statement and Response
“Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be pre-empted indefinitely,” an ABC spokesperson told CNN. The representative declined to provide further details about the network’s decision. Kimmel himself has not publicly addressed the suspension or ABC’s move to pull the show off the air.
Meanwhile Nexstar, an ABC affiliate, announced that it would not broadcast Jimmy Kimmel Live! for the “foreseeable future,” citing strong objections to Kimmel’s recent comments. The affiliate confirmed it would replace the show with alternative programming in its markets.
The fallout has also drawn the attention of regulators. Brendan Carr, head of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), condemned Kimmel’s remarks and suggested the matter could escalate further. Speaking on conservative commentator Benny Johnson’s program, Carr warned Disney, ABC’s parent company, to take corrective action.
“This is a very, very serious issue right now for Disney,” Carr said. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Disney needs to see some change here … There’s calls for Kimmel to be fired. I think you could certainly see a path forward for suspension over this.”
Kimmel had initially condemned political violence following the confirmation of Charlie Kirk’s death on September 10, 2025. In a post on Instagram, he expressed condolences to Kirk’s family, writing:
“Instead of the angry finger-pointing, can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human? On behalf of my family, we send love to the Kirks and to all the children, parents and innocents who fall victim to senseless gun violence.”
However, Kimmel’s televised comments about Tyler Robinson, the suspected shooter, sparked controversy. On his show, Kimmel said, “The MAGA gang [is] desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it. In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving.”
The comedian also played a clip of President Donald Trump’s response to Kirk’s death, mocking Trump’s pivot from mourning to discussing construction projects at the White House.
Future of Jimmy Kimmel Live!
At present, ABC has not officially canceled Jimmy Kimmel Live! but the suspension leaves the show’s future uncertain. Reports suggest Kimmel may be considering an exit. The late-night host is “actively looking for ways to get out of his contract” with ABC.
For now, the program has no set return date, and ABC has not clarified whether Kimmel will resume hosting duties or if the network is preparing to move on without him.
