Disney to resume Jimmy Kimmel’s show after being suspended

The Walt Disney Company it will bring back Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday, less than a week after suspending production in response to backlash over the host’s comments about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

“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,” Disney said in a statement on Monday. “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.”

Sinclair, which owns the largest number of ABC affiliates in the U.S., said it will not be showing “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” when it returns tomorrow.

Disney’s decision to reinstate the show comes after Nexstar Media Group, which owns dozens of ABC affiliates, announced it would preempt Kimmel’s late-night program indefinitely, calling his remarks “offensive and insensitive.”

Kimmel, during a broadcast last week, criticized attempts to politicize the killing of Kirk, who was shot by a sniper while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on September 10.

“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel also said.

Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr warned ahead of Kimmel’s suspension that broadcasters should “take action on Kimmel” or risk potential regulatory scrutiny.

The BBC reported that protests were organized against Disney outside its offices in New York and California, as well as outside the Hollywood theater where Jimmy Kimmel Live! is recorded. While, more than 400 musicians and actors signed an open letter in support of Kimmel.

Late-night hosts also voiced support for Kimmel, including Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, John Oliver, Jimmy Fallon, and Seth Meyers.