Jimmy Kimmel Live! returned this week to its highest rated show since 2014, and the highest rated regular episode in the programme’s history.
Jimmy Kimmel’s late night return drew his show’s highest ratings in a decade.
The 57-year-old comedian’s late night talk show was back on air on Tuesday (23.09.25) after the programme was suspended by Disney’s ABC following remarks he made after the killing of Charlie Kirk.
Now, Disney has revealed the return episode pulled in 6.3million viewers, which is the most watched since 2014.
It’s also the most watched regularly scheduled episode in the programme’s history, with larger audiences only seen twice before during special Sunday episodes.
The first of those aired right after the 2006 Super Bowl, while the other was after the 2014 Academy Awards.
So far, Jimmy’s 28-minute monologue from Tuesday night’s show has been viewed over 18.7million times on YouTube, which is his most-watched monologue of all time on the platform.
The high ratings came ever after Nexstar and Sinclair opted to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live!, meaning the show didn’t air in 23 percent of US households after Disney lifted the suspension.
While the host was off air, US President Donald Trump had claimed his programme gets “no ratings”.
On Tuesday (23.09.25), Trump wrote on the Truth Social platform: “I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back. The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled!
“Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his ‘talent’ was never there.
“Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who’s not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy by playing [99 percent] positive Democrat GARBAGE.
“He is yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major Illegal Campaign Contribution.
“I think we’re going to test ABC out on this. Let’s see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative. A true bunch of losers! Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad Ratings. (sic)”
During his return monologue earlier this week, Jimmy quipped: “Well, I do tonight! You almost have to feel sorry for [Trump]. He tried his best to cancel me.
“Instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show. That backfired bigly. He might have to release the Epstein files to distract us from this now.”
Jimmy Kimmel Live returns to highest ratings in over a decade
