Jimmy Kimmel’s Return Scores Big Ratings — Even With Some Stations Still Blacking Him Out

Jimmy Kimmel is back on ABC — and audiences showed up in a big way.

The Return

After being suspended last week over comments about slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Kimmel returned to Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday night. But not everyone could tune in: ABC affiliates owned by Nexstar and Sinclair, including stations in Washington, Seattle, and St. Louis, are still refusing to air the show.

Big Numbers Anyway

Despite the blackout, nearly 6.3 million people watched the broadcast — way above his usual nightly average of 1.8 million. Online, the numbers were even wilder: more than 15 million people watched his opening monologue on YouTube within 24 hours, and ABC says over 26 million viewed his return across social platforms.

The Bottom Line

Even with some stations keeping him off the air, Kimmel’s comeback proved people were curious to see what he had to say — and in true 2025 fashion, most of them just went online to watch anyway.