Jimmy Kimmel Live dropped 'indefinitely' by ABC after Charlie Kirk comments

Popular late night chat show Jimmy Kimmel Live has been axed from schedules indefinitely, following controversial remarks made by the programme's presenter regarding the death of Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

Nextstar Media, one of the largest owners of TV stations in the US, shared the news with fans late on Wednesday, revealing that the media conglomerate would "pre-empt" broadcasts of the programme in response to Kimmel's remarks.

In a statement, a spokesperson said that its "owned and partner television stations affiliated with the ABC Television Network will preempt "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" for the foreseeable future, beginning with tonight's show."

The company also said it "strongly objects to recent comments made by Mr. Kimmel concerning the killing of Charlie Kirk and will replace the show with other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets."

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The backlash comes after Kimmel addressed Charlie Kirk's death in his opening monologue on Monday evening, with the presenter suggesting that the "MAGA gang" were trying to score political points over the activist's murder.

Kirk was tragically shot dead on 10 September whilst taking part in a debate at Utah Valley University.

His killer, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was arrested three days later and now faces a potential death penalty after being charged with aggravated murder.

He has also been charged with felony discharge of a firearm and witness tampering. During Monday's broadcast, Kimmel opened the show saying: "We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterise this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them."

He also went on to mock President Trump's response to a question from the press about how he was mourning Kirk's death, which lead to the world leader bafflingly talking about the White House's new ballroom construction instead.

After the comments, the Federal Communications Commission's Chairman Brendan Carr hit out at parent company Disney and demanded they take Kimmel off air - something they appear to now have done.

Following the show's indefinite suspension, he said he wanted "to thank Nexstar for doing the right thing" in a statement on social media. Local broadcasters have an obligation to serve the public interest. While this may be an unprecedented decision, it is important for broadcasters to push back on Disney programming that they determine falls short of community."

However, Jimmy Kimmel's cancellation will likely please one person more than any other. Celebrating on Truth Social, Trump wrote: "Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED.

"Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!! President DJT."

The decision has divided Americans however, who were already caught in a tense partisan divide over Charlie Kirk's death in the first place. In recent days, many prominent conservatives have called on for any critic of his work to be silenced - with some viewing the activist as a hero and martyr.

Disney's choice now puts extra pressure on the media, particularly at a time when the White House and Federal Communications Commission have been swift to suppress and silence opinions that ought to be safeguarded by the First Amendment.

President Trump's crackdown on critics led him to launch legal action against both ABC News and CBS News over remarks made by ABC News presenter George Stephanopoulos in recent months. He is also pursuing litigation concerning the editing of an interview with former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on "60 Minutes."

In both instances, the broadcasters agreed to pay multi-million pound settlements out of court, despite having only weak legal grounds according to media specialists.

The recent decision also marks a departure from political commentary and satire on late night chat shows, with Kimmel becoming the second victim to be axed in recent months. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, a key platform that has frequently seen Trump as the target of numerous gags over recent years, will vanish from our screens permanently in May 2026, bringing to an end a 33 year run that has ruled late night TV viewing figures in the US.

CBS, the parent company, declared earlier this year that it's pulling the plug on the late-night franchise due to financial considerations in a tough late-night market. Despite critics suggesting that Paramount's new head honcho, David Ellison, is keen to cater to a more centrist audience rather than liberal late-night viewers, this decision reportedly has no connection to the show's performance, content or any other issues at Paramount.