Jimmy Kimmel Live! is returning to ABC on Tuesday, September 23, less than a week after the network pulled the show off the air “indefinitely” because of Jimmy Kimmel‘s comments about the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
“I expect him to come out swinging, and I think everyone here does,” one staff insider told the Daily Mail of the 57-year-old host, whose removal sparked a nationwide debate on the First Amendment, censorship and the FCC.
“I can tell you he’s not going to roll over and just take it,” says the insider. “We are depending on him to stand up for what’s right. If he doesn’t, there will be a mutiny.”
Kimmel, who has been hinting at retirement since 2023, is “mad” at ABC and was prepared to leave for good, another source told the Daily Mail, but came back for his staff.
“He wanted everyone in his crew not to miss any pay and any more work than they already have missed,” the source told the outlet, adding that he will still exit once his contract is up in May.
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On the show tonight, “he is going to give us a glimpse of what he has been dealing with the last few days and we will all know what his plans are for the future. He isn’t going to take this lying down,” added the source, calling it “must-see TV.”
But some parts of the country won’t be able to watch. Sinclair Broadcast Group, which operates 38 ABC affiliates around the country, will continue to pre-empt it for local news programming, they announced in an X post on Monday, September 23.
“Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return,” they said.
Sinclair previously requested that Kimmel apologize and make a “meaningful personal donation” to Kirk’s family and his conservative non-profit, Turning Point USA.