Celebrity
The Replacement For Jimmy Kimmel Live! Has Been Announced
This week’s stillness on late-night television isn’t due to dwindling laughing, but rather to a network decision that has left one of its most recognizable voices suddenly gone, leaving the entire business on edge.
Following growing criticism of comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s comments on Monday, September 15, 2025, about the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025, ABC has removed the show “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from its schedule.
The television business has been rocked by this announcement, which has also put late-night’s most divisive voice in a dilemma with practical repercussions.
Kimmel made scathing remarks about Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old man suspected of killing Kirk, and attacked the political reaction to Kirk’s death during his Monday night monologue. On September 17, 2025, a Wednesday, the network announced that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” was being “pre-empted indefinitely.”
Reruns of Steve Harvey’s “Celebrity Family Feud,” which subtly took Kimmel’s place in the 11:35 p.m. slot on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, were the network’s quick fix.
Teams of celebrities and their families compete on Harvey’s show to choose the best answers to questions posed to a hundred people.
ABC Affiliates in Turmoil as Network Issues Emergency Memo over Kimmel Controversy
ABC affiliates across the country were caught in the middle of the storm as station executives received an urgent memo acknowledging the controversy and warning that “formal guidance from Disney/ABC is forthcoming,” but made clear that the affiliate board “remains engaged with ABC” on the controversy.
After the network’s affiliates were briefed, the programming change was first reported; however, according to an insider, no official decision about Kimmel’s show’s future has been made.
Broadcasting Giants Nexstar and Sinclair Pull Plug on Late-Night Host amid Outrage
The network’s most influential partners responded to Kimmel’s comment in the most forceful way. The first to declare that it would remove the show from all 32 of its ABC stations was Nexstar Media Group, the biggest local broadcast and digital media organization in the United States.
“Continuing to give Mr. Kimmel a broadcast platform in the communities we serve is simply not in the public interest at the current time,” said Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division.
Another significant ABC affiliate owner, Sinclair Broadcast Group, followed Nexstar’s example and removed the program from its platforms. However, Sinclair took it a step further, scathing Kimmel’s comments and calling on the host to provide a public apology.
“Mr. Kimmel’s remarks were inappropriate and deeply insensitive at a critical moment for our country,” said Sinclair Vice Chairman Jason Smith.
The television company announced it would substitute Kimmel’s show on Friday night with a televised homage to Charlie Kirk, even though Sinclair also urged Kimmel to make a “meaningful personal donation” to Turning Point USA and provide a formal apology to Kirk’s family.
Hollywood Spotlight Turns to Controversy
Actress Sydney Sweeney was announced by the Television Academy to present the 77th Emmy Awards, which were held on Sunday, September 14, 2025, just days before the controversy blew into the news. This moment of traditional Hollywood celebration now stands in stark contrast to the week’s growing tensions.
The news highlights the speed at which the entertainment spotlight may change within the same television environment, from celebration to tragedy.
A day after ABC announced the show’s suspension, Jimmy Kimmel, the host of the late-night series since 2003, was seen on Thursday arriving at his Los Angeles lawyer’s office.
Uncertain Future for Kimmel and Late-Night Television
The show that once dominated its time slot is in indefinitely limbo, but Kimmel’s career at ABC has seen him transition from comic to cultural critic.
With both the network and its audience considering the future of late-night’s most divisive host, the stakes are no longer simply about ratings.
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