Jimmy Kimmel Will Be Back on the Air on Tuesday, Following Protests and a Movement to Boycott Disney

• Jimmy Kimmel will be back on the air on Tuesday, Sept. 23, after a brief suspension.
• Jimmy was suspended last week following a threat from the Trump-appointed FCC Chairman.
• Jimmy's suspension sparked outrage and concerns for free speech, with many calling for a Disney boycott.

We are so back...for now. After a near week-long suspension, Jimmy Kimmel will be back on the air Tuesday, September 23. A spokesperson for ABC confirmed the news in a statement, saying that the decision to bring Jimmy back came after “thoughtful conversations” between Jimmy and Disney, ABC’s parent company.

Disney pulled Jimmy off the air on Wednesday, September 17, after the Donald Trump-appointed Chairman of the FCC, Brendan Carr, essentially threatened ABC. Brendan apparently took offense after Jimmy accused “the MAGA gang” of “trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them” in a monologue.

A few hours after the FCC Chairman’s comments, Nexstar (owner of many local stations) announced that it would be preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live!, prompting Disney to pull him off the air completely.

“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,” an ABC spokesperson told Deadline, explaining the company’s decision. “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.”

Jimmy’s suspension caused a massive outcry in the American public—with everyone from Barack Obama to Tucker Carlson categorizing it as a blatant threat to free speech. And on Monday, the ACLU released a public letter decrying the decision, earning over 400 signatures from Hollywood creatives. Though the letter did not specifically call out Disney, it was signed by many celebrities associated with Disney-backed projects, including Selina Gomez, Meryl Streep, Diego Luna, Pedro Pascal, Tom Hanks, and more.

Meanwhile, other celebrities, including She-Hulk star Tatiana Maslany, urged fans to boycott Disney by cancelling their Disney+, Hulu, or ESPN+ subscriptions. A dip in Disney stock prices was linked to Jimmy’s suspension as well.

The details of Jimmy’s return are unclear. Last week, Sinclair (the largest owner of ABC affiliate stations) released a statement claiming that they would not broadcast Jimmy Kimmel Live! until “formal discussions are held with ABC regarding the network’s commitment to professionalism and accountability.” The company also demanded “a direct apology to the Kirk family,” as well as a donation to “the Kirk Family and Turning Point USA.”

Neither Sinclair nor Brendan Carr have commented on the news of Jimmy’s return—though plenty of celebrity have already reacted to the return of Jimmy’s show, including Ellen DeGeneres, Alyssa Milano, Rosie O’Donnell, and Gavin Newson, among several others.

The talk show host also has yet to comment publicly on his suspension or reinstatement. It seems that all eyes will be watching when Jimmy returns Tuesday, September 23, at 11:35 p.m.