Jimmy Kimmel Returns to the Air — But Faces Affiliate Blackout, Weak Ratings

Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show made its comeback today on ABC, but major affiliate groups Sinclair and Nexstar refused to carry it, leaving roughly 25 % of the network’s footprint dark on his return.

Meanwhile, his performance heading into the hiatus was already weak: in August 2025, Jimmy Kimmel Live! averaged about 1.104 million viewers (0.35% household rating)
, and only ~129,000 viewers in the key 18-49 demo.
Earlier in Q2 2025, he had averaged ~220,000 in 18–49 — his strongest demo showing in a year — edging ahead of Colbert and outpacing Fallon in that metric.

His audience has declined substantially over time: in August 2025, his viewership was down ~11 % month-to-month.

Given all that, Kimmel’s return may have symbolic weight, but the numbers show he’s already on shaky ground.