Jimmy Kimmel will return to Sinclair-owned ABC stations tonight after a nine-day blackout, as Sinclair confirmed it will resume airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! starting Friday, September 26, 2025, and Nexstar followed with the same decision for its ABC affiliates. The reversal comes three days after Disney restored Jimmy Kimmel Live! to the ABC schedule, and after Jimmy Kimmel returned on September 23, 2025, with a widely viewed monologue.
In its statement, Sinclair cited viewer and advertiser feedback and referenced a recent shooting at an ABC affiliate in Sacramento. Nexstar said it reached its decision after talks with Disney and emphasized First Amendment principles.
Jimmy Kimmel drew about 6.26 million viewers for the first show back, a high for a regularly scheduled episode, even while many ABC affiliates still preempted the program. Former President Donald Trump attacked the network for bringing Jimmy Kimmel back and threatened to test ABC legally. Tonight’s decision by both groups closes the loop for audiences who could not watch Jimmy Kimmel this week on local ABC stations.
Timeline and decision, when Sinclair agreed, what flips back on air, and where
ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! on September 17, 2025, after an on-air segment tied to the Charlie Kirk controversy, then announced on September 22 that the show would return on September 23 following conversations with the host. Jimmy Kimmel resumed hosting on September 23, while some ABC affiliates owned by Sinclair and Nexstar continued to preempt the show through the week. On September 26, Sinclair and Nexstar each declared that the blackout would end and the program would air again, starting tonight across their ABC stations.
As per Sinclair, Inc.'s press release dated September 26, 2025, the company stated,
“Sinclair today announced that it will end its preemption of Jimmy Kimmel Live! and the show will return, this evening, on Sinclair’s ABC affiliates.”
The statement further read,
"Free speech provides broadcasters with the right to exercise judgment as to the content on their local stations."
As per Nexstar Media Group, Inc. press release dated September 26, 2025, the company said,
"“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will return to the company’s owned and partner television stations affiliated with the ABC Television Network beginning tonight."
They also stated,
“We have had discussions with executives at The Walt Disney Company and appreciate their constructive approach to addressing our concerns.”
ABC’s own coverage tallied the sequence, noting the preemptions and confirming that both station groups planned to put the show back on air on Friday. National outlets framed the move as the end of a nine-day disruption, with carriage effectively fully restored once local late-night schedules turn over this evening. Jimmy Kimmel episodes will again be available in major Sinclair and Nexstar markets that had run news or alternate programming since September 23.
Jimmy Kimmel’s audience response adds context to the decision. The Tuesday return drew roughly 6.26 million linear viewers, far above the show’s usual average, despite the blackout on a large share of affiliates.
Why Sinclair reversed, Jimmy Kimmel Live! feedback, safety concerns, and what Disney and Nexstar said
Sinclair framed its choice as a community-driven call. As per Sinclair, Inc.'s press release dated September 26, 2025, the company stated:
“We have also witnessed troubling acts of violence, including the despicable incident of a shooting at an ABC affiliate station in Sacramento.”
The same document proposed accountability steps that ABC has not adopted, including a network-wide independent watchdog, and asserted editorial independence from government influence. As per Sinclair, Inc.'s press release dated September 26, 2025, the company stated:
“Our decision to preempt this program was independent of any government interaction or influence.”
Disney explained its own actions in bringing Jimmy Kimmel back. As per the ABC News report dated September 23, 2025, the company stated:
“Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country.”
Reporting has also emphasized that Disney returned the show after “thoughtful conversations” with Jimmy Kimmel, with no reported content concessions to Sinclair. Nexstar tied its reversal to talks with Disney and principals. As per Nexstar Media Group, Inc.'s press release dated September 26, 2025, the company stated,
“Nexstar remains committed to protecting the First Amendment while producing and airing local and national news that is fact based and unbiased.”
Stay tuned for more updates.
In this screengrab, Jimmy Kimmel speaks at the 2021 Media Access Awards Presented By Easterseals on November 17, 2021. (Photo by Media Access Awards Presented By Easterseals/Getty Images for Easterseals)