Jimmy Kimmel Live! is set to return to screens in the US on Tuesday night, ABC has confirmed.
Kimmel was heavily criticized for comments made on his show after the death of Charlie Kirk, and the show was suspended.
Now, the Walt Disney Company – which owns ABC – has confirmed in a statement that Kimmel is to return to the air.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! Is returning after a brief suspension.
In a statement sent to TMZ, Disney said: “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.
“It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive.
“We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday.”
Kimmel was originally suspended after controversial comments in the wake of the shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University during a Turning Point USA event.
In his traditional monologue, Kimmel said: “Many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalise on the murder of Charlie Kirk.
“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterise this kid ‘who murdered’ Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”
Kimmel also said that Donald Trump and his allies were ‘doing their best to fan the flames following the assassination’.
The network took action against Kimmel
Nexstar Communications Group, an operator of 23 ABC-affiliate channels, called Kimmel’s remarks ‘offensive and insensitive’ while Sinclair, the largest affiliate broadcaster, published a set of criteria that must be met before the show could air on its networks again.
One person who cheered the cancellation was Trump, who said: “Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done.”
He added that he believes Kimmel has ‘zero talent’.
However, many celebrities hit back at the suspension, accusing the government of meddling with the press and making allegations of censorship.
Ben Stiller said: “This isn’t right.”
Jamie Lee Curtis said: “I don’t think anybody should be canceled. I really don’t.”
Now, Kimmel is set to return to the air, but it remains to be seen whether this incident will have caused lasting damage to his show, and whether the affiliate networks will broadcast it at all.
