Following a nearly week-long hiatus, Jimmy Kimmel Live! has returned to the airwaves, but not for all viewers. While ABC and its parent organization Disney opted to revive the late-night program, broadcast station owners Nexstar and Sinclair are substituting new episodes with alternative broadcasts. Nexstar and Sinclair criticized Jimmy Kimmel’s comments during his monologue concerning far-right commentator Charlie Kirk’s assailant, which led Kimmel to apologize in his first monologue after his suspension.
As reported by Reuters, Nexstar and Sinclair control over 25 percent of the country’s ABC affiliates. Affected areas include Washington, D.C.; Nashville, Tennessee; Portland, Oregon; and Seattle, Washington. Kimmel even made a light-hearted comment regarding his ongoing preemption by Nexstar and Sinclair in his first monologue back. When he talked about the large number of people who contacted him during his time off, he gave a particular mention to “the guy who terminated me from my first radio position in Seattle — where we are not airing tonight, by the way. Apologies, Seattle.”
How can you view Jimmy Kimmel Live?
If you are outside a media market with an ABC affiliate owned by Nexstar and Sinclair, you will be able to watch Jimmy Kimmel Live! as it airs at 11:35 p.m. ET on weeknights. The show is available on broadcast TV, or via live TV streaming services such as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, Sling TV, DirecTV, and Fubo TV.
Conversely, if you reside in a media market controlled by Nexstar and Sinclair, you won’t be able to view Jimmy Kimmel Live! as it airs on broadcast television. The same applies to live TV streaming services since they need your location to offer local channels, meaning you will receive Nexstar and Sinclair’s alternate local broadcasts.
You may attempt to bypass these local limitations by utilizing a streaming VPN to alter your location. While this use of a VPN is not illegal, it does breach the terms of service of streaming platforms, which may result in account restrictions or an error message when attempting to access content.
Instead, the most effective method to watch Jimmy Kimmel Live! is to stream the episode after its initial broadcast. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is available on both Disney+ and Hulu, with new episodes released the day following their airing. However, if you wish to view Jimmy Kimmel Live! for free — especially since Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions are set to rise soon — the show’s YouTube channel frequently uploads segments, including Kimmel’s monologue and interviews.