ABC has announced the reinstatement of Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show following backlash over his comments regarding the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The network stated that after thoughtful discussions with Kimmel, they decided to bring back "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Tuesday.

Kimmel was suspended indefinitely after making remarks during a monologue about Kirk, who was killed on September 10. He stated, "many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk" and criticized the efforts of "the MAGA gang" to distance themselves from Kirk's suspected killer.

Kimmel has been a prominent figure in television since 2003 and has hosted the Academy Awards multiple times. His comments sparked immediate backlash, leading Nexstar and Sinclair, two major ABC affiliates, to announce they would pull his show from their stations. While some fellow comedians defended Kimmel, others, including former President Donald Trump, criticized him. Trump referred to Kimmel's suspension as "great news for America" and called for the firing of other late-night hosts.

In a summer interview, Kimmel expressed concerns about potential government crackdowns on comedians, stating, "Well, you'd have to be naive not to worry a little bit. But that can't change what you're doing."

The suspension occurred amid a broader context of political pressure on media outlets. Brendan Carr, the chair of the Federal Communications Commission, had previously warned about Kimmel's comments, suggesting that the FCC could take action against ABC. However, Carr later clarified that Kimmel's situation was due to ratings, not federal intervention.

The late-night television landscape is also shifting, with CBS recently canceling Stephen Colbert's show. Kimmel's contract with ABC is set to expire in May 2026.

In response to Kimmel's suspension, over 430 celebrities, including Robert De Niro and Jennifer Aniston, signed an open letter from the American Civil Liberties Union, emphasizing the importance of free speech. The letter described the situation as "a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation."

On Monday, ABC's "The View" addressed the controversy, with co-host Whoopi Goldberg stating, "No one silences us," as she and her colleagues condemned the network's earlier decision.