Rating of Jimmy Kimmel Live! over the past 10 years: the truth about the decline in viewership
20 september 2025 в 18:13
Late-night talk shows in general experience a decline in viewership over the years. During Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension on air broadcasts, Donald Trump claimed that the comedian has had «bad» ratings for many years. Is this true? Here we present an analysis of the ratings of Jimmy Kimmel Live! over the past 10 years.
No, Kimmel was not fired. The network suspended him «indefinitely» after his comments about suspected shooter Charlie Kirk, Tyler Robinson, which angered right-wing viewers as well as the Federal Communications Commission.
A few days after Kimmel expressed his condolences to the Kirk family and condemned political violence, he said in an episode of his show on September 15, 2025: «The MAGA gang is desperately trying to portray this guy who killed Charlie Kirk as someone other than themselves, and doing everything they can to derive political benefit from it. Amid the accusations, there was grief».
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr appeared on Benny Johnson’s show to discuss a «very, very serious issue… for Disney», - noting: «We can do this the easy way or the hard way».
«There are calls for Kimmel’s dismissal», - Carr continued. «I think you can certainly see a path to suspension because of this».
Jimmy Kimmel Live! was also not canceled, despite speculations made by various public figures.
Kimmel’s ratings have declined since 2015, according to multiple sources and Nielsen. Ten years ago, Kimmel had an average of 2.4 million viewers. Since 2015, this viewership gradually decreased until 2025.
In the second quarter of 2025, Kimmel averaged around 220,000 adults aged 18−49, according to Nielsen data. The show had an average of 1.8 million viewers in the first quarter and 1.77 million viewers in the second quarter, according to Forbes and USTVDB.
In 2015, Kimmel had 2.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen data. Below is a list of Jimmy Kimmel Live! ratings year by year from 2015 to 2021, according to Nielsen, Forbes, and Fox News:
It is too early to determine the overall viewership of Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2025.
Compared to other late-night talk shows, a decline in viewership is also observed mainly due to the audience’s new dependence on streaming platforms and social media.
There is a possibility that Kimmel may return, as ABC only suspended him, but neither the Walt Disney Company nor Kimmel himself have publicly reacted to the future of the show.
A source close to the situation told CNN: «Everyone really values [Kimmel] and wants him to come back. But he needs to cool down [his comments about Trump]».
Disney’s decision to pull Kimmel’s show was not «spontaneous», - CNN additionally reported. The issue had been «brewing» since the week of September 15, 2025, because Kimmel did not back down from his comments about the «MAGA gang» and the Kirk shooting.
Company leaders told the comedian to «[cool] down» what was supposed to be his monologue on September 17, 2025, another CNN source reported. When he did not do so, Disney CEO Bob Iger and Disney Entertainment Co-Chair Dana Walden decided to pull Jimmy Kimmel Live! «in hopes of protecting Kimmel and the Disney brand from further controversy».
Variety reported on September 19, 2025, that Kimmel’s legal team and Disney are working on reaching a compromise. However, as of the publication, a firm agreement had not been reached
No, Kimmel was not fired. The network suspended him «indefinitely» after his comments about suspected shooter Charlie Kirk, Tyler Robinson, which angered right-wing viewers as well as the Federal Communications Commission.
A few days after Kimmel expressed his condolences to the Kirk family and condemned political violence, he said in an episode of his show on September 15, 2025: «The MAGA gang is desperately trying to portray this guy who killed Charlie Kirk as someone other than themselves, and doing everything they can to derive political benefit from it. Amid the accusations, there was grief».
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr appeared on Benny Johnson’s show to discuss a «very, very serious issue… for Disney», - noting: «We can do this the easy way or the hard way».
«There are calls for Kimmel’s dismissal», - Carr continued. «I think you can certainly see a path to suspension because of this».
Jimmy Kimmel Live! was also not canceled, despite speculations made by various public figures.
Kimmel’s ratings have declined since 2015, according to multiple sources and Nielsen. Ten years ago, Kimmel had an average of 2.4 million viewers. Since 2015, this viewership gradually decreased until 2025.
In the second quarter of 2025, Kimmel averaged around 220,000 adults aged 18−49, according to Nielsen data. The show had an average of 1.8 million viewers in the first quarter and 1.77 million viewers in the second quarter, according to Forbes and USTVDB.
In 2015, Kimmel had 2.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen data. Below is a list of Jimmy Kimmel Live! ratings year by year from 2015 to 2021, according to Nielsen, Forbes, and Fox News:
It is too early to determine the overall viewership of Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2025.
Compared to other late-night talk shows, a decline in viewership is also observed mainly due to the audience’s new dependence on streaming platforms and social media.
There is a possibility that Kimmel may return, as ABC only suspended him, but neither the Walt Disney Company nor Kimmel himself have publicly reacted to the future of the show.
A source close to the situation told CNN: «Everyone really values [Kimmel] and wants him to come back. But he needs to cool down [his comments about Trump]».
Disney’s decision to pull Kimmel’s show was not «spontaneous», - CNN additionally reported. The issue had been «brewing» since the week of September 15, 2025, because Kimmel did not back down from his comments about the «MAGA gang» and the Kirk shooting.
Company leaders told the comedian to «[cool] down» what was supposed to be his monologue on September 17, 2025, another CNN source reported. When he did not do so, Disney CEO Bob Iger and Disney Entertainment Co-Chair Dana Walden decided to pull Jimmy Kimmel Live! «in hopes of protecting Kimmel and the Disney brand from further controversy».
Variety reported on September 19, 2025, that Kimmel’s legal team and Disney are working on reaching a compromise. However, as of the publication, a firm agreement had not been reached
© Artemenko Olga
