Jimmy Kimmel’s planned return to late-night television has hit another roadblock, with one of the nation’s biggest broadcast groups refusing to carry his show.
On Monday (September 22), Sinclair Broadcast Group announced it will not air Jimmy Kimmel Live! on its ABC affiliate stations, even as Disney reinstated the show.
It seems as if Kimmel hasn't done enough to get back into the company's good books yet.
Sinclair Broadcast Group will continue to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live!“Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming,” the company posted on X.
“Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return,” Sinclair added.
The move comes less than a week after Kimmel was suspended over controversial remarks he made about slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Kirk, a right-wing influencer known for his outspoken opposition to gun control, was fatally shot while delivering a speech at Utah Valley University on September 10.
Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old from Utah, has been charged with murder and other crimes in connection with the killing.
Prosecutors have already signaled they will seek the death penalty if he is convicted.
During his September 15 broadcast, Kimmel suggested Robinson could be aligned with the pro-Trump movement, saying: “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.”
The remarks drew swift condemnation from allies of the president, including FCC commissioner Brendan Carr, who described Kimmel’s segment as “the sickest conduct possible” and accused him of pushing a narrative that Robinson was “MAGA or Republican motivated.”
Kimmel Doubles Down on His Comments
The following night, Kimmel doubled down, arguing that “many in MAGA-land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk.”
He also took aim at Vice President JD Vance, accusing “the president and his henchmen” of fanning the flames for political gain.
Disney pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! from its schedule last Wednesday, saying the suspension was necessary “to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country,” and called his comments “ill-timed and thus insensitive," per The New York Post.
Sources told the outlet that Kimmel negotiated his return directly with Disney CEO Bob Iger and Disney Entertainment Co-Chair Dana Walden.
The $15 million-per-year host is expected to address the controversy in a monologue on Tuesday night, though insiders said he will stop short of apologizing.
Sinclair's Strong Stance
Sinclair, which owns the largest number of ABC affiliates in the country, previously demanded that Kimmel issue a “direct apology” to the Kirk family and make a donation to Turning Point USA, the conservative nonprofit co-founded by Kirk.
“Mr. Kimmel’s remarks were inappropriate and deeply insensitive at a critical moment for our country,” Sinclair Vice Chairman Jason Smith said in a statement following the host’s removal.
It remains unclear whether Nexstar, which operates 32 ABC affiliates, will also decline to air Kimmel’s show.
Together, Sinclair and Nexstar stations reach about a quarter of ABC’s national audience, according to Deadline.
The TV host's suspension has already sparked a wider debate over free speech and censorship.
Democratic Senator Ed Markey called the FCC’s involvement “dangerous and unconstitutional,” while the Writers Guild of America said removing Kimmel was a violation of First Amendment rights.
SAG-AFTRA echoed those concerns, describing the move as “the type of suppression and retaliation that endangers everyone's freedoms".
Kimmel's future on ABC is still uncertain, despite Disney's decision to bring him back on air.