After being suspended for just under a week, Jimmy Kimmel Live! returns to the airwaves tonight, September 23, at its regular showtime of 11:35 p.m. ET. Jimmy Kimmel will be joined by actor Glen Powell and musical guest Sarah McLachlan. Kimmel’s show was suspended after the host made comments following the death of political activist Charlie Kirk. The show’s suspension caused outrage, with some Disney+ subscribers even canceling their subscriptions.
In an era of streaming, some people may want to watch the show but no longer have cable TV. Enter live-streaming services, like Hulu and Fubo. Some of these services even offer free trials, allowing most audiences to watch the new episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! tonight. However, just because ABC brought Jimmy Kimmel Live! back doesn’t mean that all ABC channels will have it, as the Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group are still not airing the show.
Fubo, Hulu, and More Let Viewers Stream TV (and Have Free Trials)
Audiences without cable who want to watch Jimmy Kimmel’s return still have a few options. Some streaming services are either built around showing live TV or have options to stream live TV. Hulu and YouTube have both expanded their features, allowing users to sign up and stream live TV channels. Fubo and Sling TV are services dedicated to streaming live TV. Even DirecTV has joined the streaming business, allowing customers to sign up for a streaming service rather than getting a satellite installed.
Many of these services offer free trials for viewers who just want to watch Jimmy Kimmel Live! tonight. YouTube TV has a free 7-day trial. Fubo and DirecTV both offer free 5-day trials. Hulu’s live TV trial is the shortest of the options, with only a 3-day trial. Sling TV does not offer a free trial.
Some viewers may have already used these free trials, and signing up for a plan could cost them. Hulu + Live TV costs $82.99 a month, but includes Disney+ and ESPN Select. YouTube costs the same, but offers a discount of $33 for each of the first two months. The Entertainment plan for DirecTV’s streaming package, which includes access to ABC, costs $84.99 a month, with a potential $40 discount on the first month. Fubo costs the same, with only a $30 discount for the first month. Sling TV offers customizable plans starting at $45.99 per month.
Nexstar and Sinclair Still Refuse To Broadcast ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’
The Sinclair Broadcast Group and the Nexstar Media Group both announced that they would not air Jimmy Kimmel Live! despite owning multiple local ABC channels. Sinclair and Nexstar pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! from their programming before the show was even suspended by ABC. The two networks combined own almost 70 ABC stations across nearly half of the United States. The complete list of channels affected by the networks’ decision can be viewed online.
In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), Sinclair shared that the Jimmy Kimmel Live! slot would be replaced by local news. Nexstar’s statement also said that the show would be replaced with news, while also standing against the host’s comments. The statement reads:
“We made a decision last week to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! following what ABC referred to as Mr. Kimmel’s ‘ill-timed and insensitive’ comments at a critical time in our national discourse. We stand by that decision pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve. In the meantime, we note that Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be available nationwide on multiple Disney-owned streaming products, while our stations will focus on continuing to produce local news and other programming relevant to their respective markets.”
However, Disney’s live streaming platform, Hulu + Live TV, won’t be able to give immediate access to the show for all audiences, as the service adjusts to local ABC stations. The episodes aren’t available on Disney+ or Hulu until the next day, either. DirecTV and YouTube TV work the same way as Hulu + Live TV. Sling TV also only uses local ABC stations, but not every location can get local ABC channels with Sling TV. Fubo has local ABC stations, but it also carries ABC East, ABC Central, ABC Mountain, and ABC West, which have a national broadcast.
There are ways to get around local stations that won’t air Jimmy Kimmel Live! by using these streaming channels. By using a VPN, viewers can change their locations to find a station that is airing the late-night show. ExpressVPN, with plans starting at $12.99 per month after a 30-day free trial, states on its website that it works with various streaming services, including Hulu and Sling TV.
Why Is Jimmy Kimmel’s Return So Impactful?
When Jimmy Kimmel Live! was initially suspended by ABC, it sparked outrage, even among people who don’t watch the show. The show was initially suspended after Kimmel said in his September 16 monologue that “many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk.” The suspension was praised by some, including President Donald Trump, who congratulated ABC on social media.
ABC’s suspension of the show also led to outrage from other late-night hosts, as well as debates about free speech. Celebrities like She-Hulk: Attorney at Law star Tatiana Maslany told audiences to cancel subscriptions to any Disney-owned services they had. A Change.org petition boycotting ABC also reached more than 80,000 signatures while Jimmy Kimmel Live! was suspended. Apparently, that was enough for ABC to bring the show back after “having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy,” according to a statement.
The show’s return still comes at a time of unease for the future of late-night talk shows. Although Jimmy Kimmel will return, Stephen Colbert will not next May, after CBS announced that this season of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will be the show’s last. The network cited financial reasons for canceling the show, but other events suggested that the cancellation could have had political implications. Many eyes and ears will be turned to Kimmel tonight, whether to hear an apology for his comments or a response to his suspension. Jimmy Kimmel Live! returns September 23 at 11:35 p.m. ET.
- Release Date
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January 26, 2003
- Network
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ABC
- Writers
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Joel Hodgson, Sal Iacono, Tony Barbieri, Eric Immerman, Jonathan Bines, Rick Rosner, Bryan Paulk, Danny Ricker, Jeff Loveness, Josh Halloway, Bess Kalb
