Jimmy Kimmel’s Comeback Hits Major Snag: ABC Affiliates Sinclair & Nexstar Refuse to Air Show

Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night return was supposed to be a triumphant one—ABC announced “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” would resume Tuesday after a weeklong suspension over his controversial comments on conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination. But the victory lap just skidded to a halt.

Major ABC affiliate owners Sinclair and Nexstar, controlling over 20% of U.S. stations, are preempting the show indefinitely. Sinclair will swap it for news programming on its 30+ affiliates, while Nexstar follows suit on 23 stations and partners. This means millions of viewers in key markets won’t see Kimmel’s monologue