Jimmy Kimmel returns to “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” this Tuesday night (Sept. 23) following a weeklong suspension by ABC.
However, not all viewers will be able to watch. Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns 39 ABC affiliates across the U.S., has confirmed it will continue to preempt the program and instead air local news.
How to watch ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ live and on demand for free
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on ABC.
Those without cable can stream the show live and on demand for free via streaming services like Fubo (5-day free trial), DirecTV (5-day free trial) and Hulu + Live TV (3-day free trial).
In many cases, viewers in affected Sinclair markets can use these streaming options to bypass local preemptions because streaming services include multiple local ABC stations that TV service does not. However, in markets where Sinclair has broadcasting exclusivity, customers can pair their streaming service with a VPN, such as Nord VPN, to access any local ABC station across the country.
Which Sinclair stations will not air ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’?
Despite ABC’s reinstatement, Sinclair Broadcast Group will not air “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on any of its ABC affiliates.
In a statement posted to X, Sinclair wrote: “Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming. Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return.”
The following 39 Sinclair-owned ABC affiliate stations will not air “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” provided by Newsweek:
WBMA-LD – Birmingham, AL
WEAR-TV – Pensacola, FL
KATV – Little Rock, AR
KRCR-TV – Redding, CA
KAEF-TV – Eureka, CA
WJLA-TV – Washington, DC
WGXA – Macon, GA
WSYX – Columbus, OH
WKEF – Dayton, OH
KTUL – Tulsa, OK
WSET-TV – Lynchburg, VA
WCHS-TV – Charleston, WV
WLOS – Asheville, NC
WXLV-TV – Winston-Salem, NC
KHGI-TV – Kearney, NE
KWNB-TV – Hayes Center, NE
KTXS-TV – Abilene, TX
KVII-TV – Amarillo, TX
KTXE-LD – San Angelo, TX
WATM-TV – Altoona, PA
WGTU – Traverse City, MI
WTOM-TV – Cheboygan, MI
WGTQ – Sault Ste. Marie, MI
KATU – Portland, OR
WJAC-TV – Johnstown, PA
WICS – Springfield, IL
WICD – Champaign, IL
KDNL-TV – St. Louis, MO
WNBW-DT – Gainesville, FL
WCTI-TV – New Bern, NC
WTVC – Chattanooga, TN
WCHS-TV – Charleston, WV
WSET-TV – Lynchburg, VA
KTXS-TV – Abilene, TX
KATV – Little Rock, AR
KTXE-LD – San Angelo, TX
WXLV-TV – Winston-Salem, NC
WGTQ – Sault Ste. Marie, MI
WGTU – Traverse City, MI
Sinclair has not set a date for when, or if, the program will return on its stations.
Why was Kimmel suspended?
Kimmel was taken off the air last Wednesday after a monologue in which he criticized Republican reactions to the assassination of conservative podcaster Charlie Kirk.
“The MAGA gang [was] desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and with everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said on his September 15 broadcast.
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr publicly condemned the segment and warned of regulatory consequences. “Frankly, when you see stuff like this, I mean, we can do this the easy way, or these companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead,” threatened Carr.
In response, ABC suspended the show.
The suspension prompted widespread backlash. More than 400 entertainers and artists, including Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep, have signed an open letter in support of Kimmel, according to Variety.
Why ABC reinstated Kimmel
Disney reversed the suspension on Monday, explaining in a statement per Variety, “Last Wednesday, we made the decision to suspend production on the show to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country. It is a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive. We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday.”
Sources told the New York Post that Kimmel will address the controversy during Tuesday’s monologue, but will not apologize.
What are the differences between the streaming services?
Fubo – Fubo offers one of the widest selections of channels among live TV streaming services. More than 220 channels, including all the sports and entertainment you love, plus sports add-ons for those niche networks you rely on, and it all starts with a 5-day free trial and $30 off the first month of service.
DirecTV – Watch live TV from major broadcast and popular cable networks. Enjoy local and national live sports, breaking news and must-see shows the moment they air. Included: unlimited cloud DVR storage space so you can record as many shows as you want and stream them from wherever you go. DTV starts at $34.99 per month after a 5-day free trial when you shop their customizable genre packs.
Hulu + Live TV – One of the best values in internet TV service. It costs $82.99 per month and includes 95+ channels, but subscribers make about a third of their money back with the inclusion of the full Hulu, Disney Plus and ESPN Plus libraries with their subscription. Hulu + Live TV starts with a limited free trial.