Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension from ABC may have fueled curiosity around his return, but the audience didn’t stick around.
After Disney briefly suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! over the host’s remarks about the alleged assassin of Charlie Kirk, his comeback episode last Tuesday drew a massive 6.5 million viewers.
But the ratings spike was short-lived.
By Thursday, the late-night show averaged only 2.3 million viewers — a staggering 64% drop in just two days, as reported by the New York Post.
Collapse in Key Demographics
The decline was even sharper in the demographics most important to advertisers:
- Adults 25–54: Fell from 1.7 million Tuesday to 465,000 Thursday (73% loss).
- Adults 18–49: Dropped from 1.2 million Tuesday to just 334,000 Thursday (73% loss).
A Decade-Long Downward Trend
Kimmel’s audience has been shrinking for years.
- 2015: Averaged 2.4 million viewers.
- 2020: Down to 1.8 million.
- 2025: Averaging just 1.6 million before his suspension.
Even with the high-profile controversy, the numbers suggest that Kimmel’s brand no longer resonates with viewers, which is a worrying sign for Disney and ABC as the late-night space continues to fragment. It’s also thought to be the main factor in the reason for his show getting yanked.
Trump blasts Jimmy Kimmel
In a post to Truth Social, President Donald Trump blasted ABC for bringing back Jimmy Kimmel Live, slamming the host’s poor ratings and accusing the network of partisan bias:
“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% 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.”
