Host Jimmy Kimmel had his highest audience in a decade on his return to US television a week after pressures from the Donald Trump government forced the show off the air, Disney reported on Wednesday.
The numbers show that 6.2 million people tuned in to the broadcast on ABC, even as the show remained blocked for nearly a quarter of American households due to a boycott by local TV stations, said Disney, the network's owner.
It was the program's best performance in 10 years, they added. Another 26 million people watched Kimmel's monologue through social media, the company emphasized in a statement.
The host set a new record on YouTube, as his return monologue became the most-watched in his entire platform career.
So far, the show's official YouTube account has recorded over 15 million views on the video titled 'Jimmy Kimmel is back!', published just 18 hours ago, with expectations for the number to continue rising.
Previously, the milestone belonged to the video where Kimmel discussed the details of his son's birth and heart condition, currently with 14 million views.
The show "Live with Jimmy Kimmel" was suspended after officials suggested they could revoke broadcast licenses for ABC affiliates that aired it, allegedly due to comments the comedian made following the right-wing activist Charlie Kirk's murder.
But after public outcry and complaints from Trump allies who saw this as an attempt by the government to limit freedom of speech, the suspension was lifted, and the show returned on Tuesday night.
Kimmel delivered a scathing monologue attacking censorship on his return to television. "A government threat to silence a comedian the president doesn't like is un-American," Kimmel told his audience.
In comparison, "Live with Jimmy Kimmel" averaged 1.4 million viewers throughout the 2024/2025 season, indicating a tripling of viewership on Tuesday.
Trump, who often complains about negative media coverage, celebrated when Kimmel was taken off the air. And before the show's return, Trump told the press that the comedian "has no talent" or "audience." "Well," Kimmel joked during the show. "Tonight I do."