Copyright irishmirror

When Jimmy Kimmel’s show got controversially cancelled in the aftermath of the Charlie Kirk assassination, he became the latest in a long list of outspoken chat show hosts to get axed. Popular Kimmel caused controversy when he said on September 16: “The MAGA gang desperately trying to characterise this kid, who murdered Charlie Kirk, as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.” ABC quickly cancelled the show under pressure from the reaction – which sparked accusations of censorship and US government interference under president Donald Trump . Fans celebrated when the channel announced a week later that Kimmel's late-night show would return - and he was back on air on Tuesday. He said it was "never my intention to make light of" the conservative activist's death. It is not the first time that a high-profile presenter has been censured and even booted off their own show. Lots have been taken off air, for various reasons, including our own Ryan Tubridy and George Hook. In 1982, American shock jock Howard Stern started an afternoon show on WNBC – but was warned to avoid sexual or religious topics. However, he was quickly taken off the air – like his pal Kimmel - in his first month for a video game sketch called Virgin Mary Kong, where a group of men chased the Virgin Mary around a bar in Jerusalem. Stern this week welcomed his friend’s TV return after last week announcing that he would cancel his Disney+ subscription in support of Kimmel because of its connection to ABC. Others, like fellow talk show host Stephen Colbert, who earlier this summer claimed that "cancel culture had gone too far" but vowed to continue stating his "unvarnished" opinions about Trump, also backed Kimmel this week. He posted online: "Welcome back, brother.” In 2003, US channel MSNBC axed veteran presenter Phil Donahue after he voiced his opposition to the Iraq war, with station chiefs citing poor ratings. In 2008, English duo Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand were both suspended by the BBC amid calls for an investigation into their prank calls to actor Andrew Sachs, who famously played Manuel in cult hit TV show Fawlty Towers. The furore – which was dubbed Sachsgate – affected Ross’s BBC1 Friday Night with Jonathan Ross show and the duo’s radio shows. Some say it ultimately led to Ross leaving the station and heralded the new Graham Norton Show for the Irish presenter. In 2017, Newstalk presenter George Hook sparked widespread condemnation due to his comments about a rape case in the UK – prompting the hotel group that sponsored his programme to cancel its commercial relationship. He was suspended by Newstalk and the slot was given a year later to Ciara Kelly. In 2018, American TV presenter Megyn Kelly, a qualified lawyer, was criticised for questioning why blackface is racist. Within days, she was out, with her bosses at NBC announcing that she would not return to her Today Show. However, she now has her own hugely successful digital show. In 2019, the Jeremy Kyle Show was cancelled following the tragic death of guest Steve Dymond, although an inquest in 2024 ruled there was no "clear and reliable causal connection" between his appearance on the show and his suicide. Kyle later indicated that his show was cancelled due to the prevailing culture that meant his show was outdated, saying: "You can't say boo to a goose now." In 2021, Sharon Osbourne apologised for comments that she made on her US chat show The Talk about racism while defending British motormouth Piers Morgan, who had criticised Meghan Markle. Osbourne and Underwood got into a heated argument with fellow host Sheryl Underwood over how Morgan did not believe Markle’s racism allegations about the royal family. Osbourne defended her friend Morgan and the outburst forced CBS to put The Talk on pause and launch an internal investigation, which ultimately led to Osbourne leaving and the show being taken off air. Sharon apologised under pressure but later said she was sorry she did. She said: "Look at what they did to me. It’s like, ‘F*** you and f*** corporation. I could give a f***." In 2022, Ellen DeGeneres’s talk show was cancelled after employees made accusations of a “toxic workplace” and three producers were fired. In 2023, the then RTÉ golden boy Ryan Tubridy was taken off the air from his radio show following details of a controversial payment scandal. His Ryan Tubridy Show on RTÉ Radio 1 was one of the biggest in the country before his fall from grace. But he hosted his last programme in August 2023, when the controversy grew too big. He took a job with Virgin Radio UK in January 2024 and he now lives in London. For more of the latest breaking news from the Irish Mirror check out our homepage by clicking here .