Jimmy Kimmel’s Return Draws 6.2 Million Viewers, Ratings Show
Jimmy Kimmel’s broadcast return scored big in the ratings.
Tuesday’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” averaged 6.2 million viewers, according to preliminary figures from Nielsen. That is nearly four times as much as his usual audience, even though more than 20 percent of ABC affiliates boycotted the show.
The preliminary Nielsen figures are expected to grow in the coming days as more data comes in. It does not include streaming viewership.
The show was Mr. Kimmel’s first since executives at ABC and Disney — the network’s parent company — decided to pull his show on Sept. 17. They made the move after growing criticism, including by a top federal regulator, over comments he made during his show about the man accused of fatally shooting the conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The show’s suspension set off a national debate about free speech.
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