Emotional Jimmy Kimmel addresses 'ill-timed' Charlie Kirk comments as he returns to TV after suspension
After nearly a week long suspension, Jimmy Kimmel Live has returned to US TV screens.
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The late-night chat show was taken off air following comments made about the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The decision by US network ABC to pull the show has led to criticism over government censorship.
The comic looked visibly moved as the studio audience stood up and applauded or several minutes when he came out onto stage.
Kimmel clasped his hands and thanked the audience members before adding: "I'm not sure who has had a weirder 48 hours, me or the CEO of Tylenol".
He also admitted the last week had been "overwhelming".
The 57-year-old also thanked other late night show hosts including Stephen Colbert, John Stewart, Seth Myers, Jimmy Fallon, John Oliver, Conan O’Brien and James Corden.
He even thanked prominent conservatives such as Senator Ted Cruz who criticised Kimmel's comments about Charlie Kirk's death but admitted he shouldn't have been taken off the airwaves.
"I don't think I've ever said this before but Ted Cruz is right," he added.
'Ill-timed'
He also went on to address his comments about the assassination that led to his suspension in a powerful monologue.
"It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man. I don't think there's anything funny about it.
"I posted a photo on Instagram the day he was killed sending love to his family and asking for compassion and I meant it and I still do.
"Nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what is obviously a very disturbed individual.
"That was really the opposite of the point I was trying to make.
"But I understand to some that felt ill-timed or unclear or maybe both."
Kimmel also slammed Donald Trump for calling for the axing of his fellow late-night hosts but admitted his push to get Kimmel off the air had backfired "bigly".
"He might have to release the Epstein files to distract us from this now," he went on.
Ahead of the airing, the US talk show host took to social media on Tuesday to speak out after the network u-turned on its decision to pull the show from the air.
In his first public remarks since the saga, Kimmel posted a photograph of himself alongside legendary TV writer Norman Lear on his Instagram, a vocal defender of the First Amendment who died aged 101 in December 2023.
“Missing this guy today,” Kimmel wrote in the caption.
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Shortly after Kimmel's axing, Donald Trump - who has openly criticised cancel culture in the past - called the move "great news for America".
"The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done," he wrote in a social media post.
'True bunch of losers'
Donald Trump has since responded to Kimmel's reinstatement, describing ABC as a "true bunch of losers".
In a post to TruthSocial, he wrote: "I can't believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back.
"The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled! Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his "talent" was never there.
"Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who's not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy by playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE.
"He is yet another arm of the DNC and, to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major Illegal Campaign Contribution. I think we're going to test ABC out on this.
"Let's see how we do. Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars.
"This one sounds even more lucrative. A true bunch of losers! Let Jimmy Kimmel rot in his bad Ratings."
