Jimmy Kimmel has spent years turning late nights into a playground of laughter, making viewers forget their worries with sharp humor and heartfelt moments. Yet recently, he stirred a storm when a risky joke about Charlie Kirk’s death backfired spectacularly, angering fans and even prompting ABC to briefly cancel his iconic show. The uproar dominated headlines, whispers filled social feeds, and anticipation brewed like a cliffhanger. After his dramatic return last night, viewers are now eager to know how much viewership his show received.

Did the blackout by Sinclair and Nexstar dim Jimmy Kimmel’s spotlight, or spark a surge of curiosity that sent viewers flocking like moths to a late-night flame, hungry to witness the drama unfold?

Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night empire has been facing turbulent waters, with his show losing viewers steadily before ABC temporarily suspended him over his comments on Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Nielsen data reveals a steep decline, with Jimmy Kimmel Live! dropping to 1.1 million total viewers in August 2025, down 43 percent from January, and the coveted 18–49 demographic falling sharply. Preliminary ratings for last night’s comeback are not yet public, but with some affiliates preempting the show, actual viewership could be even lower.

Sinclair’s decision to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! leaves ABC navigating a tricky landscape, as a significant portion of its audience is cut off. With control over 39 ABC-affiliated stations nationwide, including the influential WJLA-TV in Washington, DC, Sinclair wields considerable power. This gap in distribution could dramatically impact the show’s reach, leaving Kimmel’s return under a cloud of uncertainty despite the national buzz surrounding his comeback. The dip in viewership has sparked conversations among fans, prompting comparisons with the ratings of fellow late-night hosts.

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As late-night television faces unprecedented turbulence, fans are itching to know: who is winning the nightly battle for eyeballs, from Jimmy Kimmel to Stephen Colbert and other hosts?

As of the end of the second quarter on June 30th, Late Night Television ratings revealed a clear hierarchy, according to Late Nighter. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert dominated, averaging 2.42 million viewers across 41 episodes. Jimmy Kimmel Live! followed in second place with 1.77 million viewers, while The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon secured third with 1.19 million. Late Night with Seth Meyers, airing at 12:37 a.m. ET did not align perfectly with the others but averaged 900,000 total viewers, highlighting the fierce competition for late-night attention.

The Daily Show, with its rotating hosts on Comedy Central, averaged 994,000 viewers in the second quarter, while Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, airing weekly, drew 150,389 viewers, according to US TVDB. Despite the wide differences in audience size, late-night hosts have shown solidarity, exemplified when Stephen Colbert defended Jimmy Kimmel, following his show’s cancellation controversy. Yet, even with this camaraderie, Kimmel’s ratings reveal a noticeable dip, underscoring that public favor can shift quickly, leaving even seasoned hosts vulnerable in the competitive late-night landscape.

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