The late-night host’s much-hyped comeback has already collapsed, with viewers switching off in droves

Fans remain deeply divided. While many expressed disappointment and walked away, others rushed to defend Kimmel, arguing that he was being unfairly criticized for daring to be raw and authentic. “He’s human,” one supporter wrote. “If he’s going through something, maybe he deserves empathy, not condemnation.” Still, the numbers don’t lie, and unless Kimmel can turn things around quickly, the show faces the very real possibility of losing its standing as a cornerstone of ABC’s lineup.

The question now hanging over Hollywood is whether Kimmel can recover—or if this marks the beginning of the end for his late-night reign. Will he recalibrate his tone, re-center his show around comedy and celebrity interviews, and win back disillusioned viewers? Or will his stubbornness to change further alienate the audience, accelerating the decline?

The late-night host’s much-hyped comeback has already collapsed (Image: Getty)

Jimmy Kimmel’s triumphant return to late-night TV has turned sour, with his ratings crashing only days after Disney lifted his suspension.

The 56-year-old host of ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! was taken off air earlier this month after remarks about the alleged assassin of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk caused uproar.

Disney briefly suspended the programme after Kimmel claimed on-air that 22-year-old suspect Tyler Robinson was part of the “MAGA gang.”

Court filings later revealed Robinson had a left-wing ideology, forcing Kimmel into an embarrassing backtrack.

Despite the controversy, Disney quickly reversed its decision and allowed him back on screens last Tuesday.

His comeback drew huge attention, with 6.5million tuning in to see his emotional monologue. But within just 48 hours, the surge had evaporated.

By Thursday night, Jimmy Kimmel Live! had slumped to 2.3million viewers — a jaw-dropping 64% fall from Tuesday’s peak.

Kimmel’s remarks about the alleged assassin of Charlie Kirk caused uproar (Image: Getty)
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The drop was even steeper in the all-important advertising demographic of adults aged 25 to 54.

Kimmel pulled in 1.7million in that bracket on Tuesday, but by Thursday the figure had plummeted to 465,000 — a collapse of 73%. Among younger viewers aged 18 to 49, the show tanked from 1.2million to only 334,000 in the same time frame.

Kimmel had told his audience: “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.”

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That claim drew the ire of Kirk’s supporters and sparked scrutiny from the Federal Communications Commission. Broadcasters Nexstar and Sinclair even refused to carry Kimmel’s show, forcing Disney to step in.

The backlash has highlighted a longer-term issue for Kimmel. His show has been on a steady ratings decline for the past decade.

Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night empire is facing what many are calling its most turbulent chapter yet, as reports swirl that his show has plunged into crisis following a disastrous on-air return that left viewers stunned, advertisers scrambling, and network executives in full-blown panic. Once a staple of the late-night scene, Jimmy Kimmel Live! is now under fire as ratings nosedive and critics question whether the host can weather this storm.

The trouble began with Kimmel’s highly publicized return after a brief hiatus. Anticipation had been high, with the network teasing a fresh, reinvigorated version of the show. Instead, audiences were greeted with what some fans branded a “meltdown,” as the host delivered a chaotic monologue that veered between awkward jokes, tense political commentary, and visibly rattled delivery. Clips of the segment quickly went viral, but instead of drawing laughs, they drew criticism, with hashtags like #KimmelCrash and #LateNightDisaster trending across social platforms.

Viewers who had long tuned in for Kimmel’s balance of sharp wit and relatable humor were left unsettled by what felt like a jarring shift in tone. “It was uncomfortable to watch,” one fan wrote on X. “This wasn’t the Jimmy we know—he looked frustrated, angry, and off his game.” Others were less forgiving, with some branding the episode “unwatchable” and vowing never to tune in again. The fallout was swift: Nielsen ratings revealed a dramatic drop-off in viewership, with Kimmel’s numbers dipping to their lowest point in nearly a decade.

The ratings collapse has triggered alarm bells at ABC, where executives are said to be in crisis meetings over how to salvage one of their long-running late-night pillars. According to industry insiders, advertising partners have already begun to scale back commitments, concerned that Kimmel’s suddenly polarizing presence may alienate audiences and diminish returns. One source bluntly stated, “Advertisers don’t want to be attached to controversy that pushes viewers away—they want eyeballs, not backlash.”

Behind the scenes, the mood is tense. Staffers on the production team have reportedly described the atmosphere as “chaotic” and “uncertain,” with some questioning whether Kimmel is willing—or even able—to adjust course. “He’s always been outspoken, but this was different,” one insider revealed. “This felt like a breaking point, and everyone’s wondering if he’s lost touch with what the audience actually wants.”

Critics, too, have sharpened their knives. Several entertainment writers have slammed Kimmel for leaning too heavily into politics during his return, arguing that the over-the-top rants drowned out the humor that once defined his show. Others noted that late-night TV is already a crowded landscape, with competitors like Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, and Seth Meyers carving out loyal fan bases by carefully tailoring their tones. If Kimmel’s show can no longer strike the right balance, they argue, it risks becoming irrelevant altogether.

Adding to the drama, rival networks have wasted no time capitalizing on the stumble. Colbert’s Late Show ran a sly joke at Kimmel’s expense, while Fallon’s Tonight Show quietly highlighted its own uptick in ratings in the days following Kimmel’s meltdown. Industry analysts have pointed out that in the cutthroat world of late-night television, a single misstep can open the door for competitors to steal viewers—and Kimmel’s current crisis has handed rivals exactly that opportunity.

For ABC, the stakes couldn’t be higher. With advertisers already pulling out and the competition surging ahead, the network must decide whether to back its veteran host through the storm or begin quietly exploring alternatives. Rumors are already circulating that younger, edgier comedians may be eyed as potential successors should the crisis deepen.

What’s clear is that Jimmy Kimmel Live! is at a crossroads. Once a reliable ratings magnet, it now sits on shaky ground, caught between a fractured fanbase, nervous advertisers, and ruthless competitors. Whether Kimmel can pull off a late-night redemption arc or whether the show succumbs to its own “meltdown” moment is now one of the most-watched dramas in television itself.

In 2015, Jimmy Kimmel Live! averaged 2.4million nightly viewers. That slipped to 2.1million in 2018, 1.9million in 2019 and 1.8 million in 2020. By 2021, the average was just 1.5million. Last year’s 1.6million represented a 37% drop from a decade earlier.

This month’s suspension was the latest blow to a show already struggling to compete with rivals in the late-night wars. Nexstar and Sinclair only reinstated the programme on Friday, days after Disney gave the green light.

Kirk’s supporters accused Kimmel of deliberately fuelling division. Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet fumed: “Kimmel is an unrepentant liar who tried to blame Charlie’s assassination on the part of the country that just spent the last 2 weeks praying and holding vigils.”