Nexstar and Sinclair ABC won't air ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ on Tuesday. Here's why

Several major ABC television stations in the United States have decided not to air the return of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ on Tuesday, following controversial comments made by the show’s host, Jimmy Kimmel.

Nexstar Media Group, one of the largest owners of ABC affiliates, said it would preempt the show on around 30 of its stations in cities such as Salt Lake City, Nashville, and New Orleans. Sinclair Broadcast Group, which operates nearly 40 ABC stations, also announced it would not air the programme and would show local news or other programming instead.

The move comes after Kimmel linked the alleged killer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk to former President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement in a recent monologue, comments that sparked criticism. Nexstar said the remarks were “ill-timed and insensitive” and added that it would only consider airing the show again if there is a commitment to respectful and constructive dialogue.

Disney, ABC’s parent company, said the show would return after being paused last week to avoid further inflaming an already tense situation. ABC executives, including Disney CEO Bob Iger, informed Kimmel that production would resume on Monday.

The show, which airs late at night, remains available on Disney’s streaming platforms, allowing viewers to watch the episodes even where local stations have chosen not to broadcast them. Sinclair said discussions with ABC are ongoing to determine the show’s potential return to its stations.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr had previously commented that broadcasters must operate in the public interest. Carr suggested that Kimmel’s remarks could affect station licences, as he said the comments “appeared to directly mislead the American public about one of the most significant political events in recent times.”

What did Kimmel say about Charlie Kirk?

During his monologue, Kimmel described the “MAGA gang” as trying to politicise the murder of Charlie Kirk and criticised attempts to frame the suspect differently, while also acknowledging the national grief and the White House’s response to the tragedy.

The decisions by Nexstar and Sinclair mean that viewers in several major markets will not see the return of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ on traditional broadcast TV this week, though streaming options remain available. Both companies emphasised their focus on local news and programming that serves the needs of their audiences.