Jimmy Kimmel delivers the opening monologue of the 2024 Oscars awards show in Los Angeles.
"Jimmy Kimmel Live!" host Jimmy Kimmel.

What will Jimmy Kimmel have to say once the late-night talk show host is back on air? That's the question on many viewers' minds.

Since "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" was suspended "indefinitely" by ABC nearly a week ago, on Wednesday, Sept. 17, reactions and statements of support from government officials, Hollywood stars, and late-night talk show hosts poured in. Stephen Colbert, whose CBS late-night talk show was recently canceled, called Kimmel's suspension "blatant censorship," and Jon Stewart said ABC's decision was an "unprecedented consolidation of power and unitarian intimidation."

Kimmel was suspended over his comments regarding Charlie Kirk's death, his politics and President Donald Trump's reaction to the Sept. 10 fatal shooting. (Here's the full transcript of what Kimmel said during his Sept. 15 show.)

The suspension followed comments by Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, who called the monologue a "very, very serious issue right now for Disney" and said there were some "calls for Kimmel to be fired." Trump congratulated the suspension and said it was "great news for America."

The only person we have yet to hear from, though, is Kimmel himself. The comedian hasn't publicly addressed the suspension that came to an end Monday, Sept. 22, when the Walt Disney Company announced that his show would return to air after "thoughtful conversations."

So, will Kimmel completely side-step the controversy, as "The View" did at first? Will he, as Sinclair Broadcast Group demanded, apologize to Kirk's family?

Or will Kimmel double down and criticize those responsible for the temporary suspension of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"?

Will Jimmy Kimmel apologize for Charlie Kirk comments?

While Kimmel is known for pushing back on Trump and his administration, it's unclear what the host may have in store for his Tuesday, Sept. 23, show. Nothing has been made public beyond Disney's statement on Monday, Sept. 22.

"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," Disney said in a statement to USA TODAY. "It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive. 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."

For now, Kimmel and his network are aligned on one thing: his return to his 11:35  p.m. ET slot tomorrow night.

Turning Point USA calls Jimmy Kimmel return a 'mistake'

According to CNN, a spokesperson for Turning Point USA, Andrew Kolvet, is keeping the pressure on ABC affiliate station owners after the decision to put Kimmel back on air.

"Disney and ABC caving and allowing Kimmel back on the air is not surprising, but it's their mistake to make," the statement read. "Nextstar and Sinclair do not have to make the same choice."

USA TODAY reached out to Nextstar for comment.

Who will be a guest on Jimmy Kimmel's first show back?

It has not yet been revealed if Kimmel will expect celebrity guests the night of his return.

Comedian Wanda Sykes was scheduled to appear on Kimmel's show the evening it was pulled from the air. "I was getting ready, I was heading to the car, and my publicist called me and was like 'Don't come, the show has been preempted,'" Sykes said about the experience.

Arguably, he could have his choice of guests: More than 400 stars, including A-listers like Jennifer Aniston and Tom Hanks, signed a letter in support of Kimmel.

Will 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' be back for good?

Not necessarily. Nexstar and Sinclair could still choose to preempt the show with other coverage.

In fact, according to a statement to USA TODAY on Monday, Sept. 22, a Sinclair representative said, "Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting 'Jimmy Kimmel Live! across or ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming."

"Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return," the statement added.

While ABC has featured Kimmel's late-night show since 2003, Kimmel's contract with the network is up in May 2026, according to The Associated Press and CNN. That could mean more changes ahead.

Contributing: Bryan Alexander, Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Jimmy Kimmel apologize? What to expect once he's back on-air

Reporting by Pamela Avila, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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