Jimmy Kimmel’s ratings were slipping before ABC – Business News
Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show was bleeding viewers before Disney-owned ABC pulled the plug and suspended him for his feedback on Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
Nielsen knowledge confirmed sharp summer season declines and a year-long slide that leaves him trailing late-night rivals corresponding to Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld and CBS star Stephen Colbert.
According to month-to-month Nielsen figures, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” dropped to simply 1.1 million whole viewers in August 2025, down 43% from January’s 1.95 million. His August family score of 0.35 marked the weakest displaying of the yr.
Jimmy Kimmel gestures during a latest taping of his late-night show in Los Angeles. ABC
The advertiser-coveted 18–49 demo additionally cratered. Kimmel averaged solely 129,000 viewers in that bracket in August, off from 212,000 in January and fewer than half his June peak of 284,000.
With his ABC contract set to run out subsequent yr, the stoop raises questions on whether or not “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” can regain momentum in opposition to Colbert, Fallon and cable insurgents.
Here’s the newest on Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension after Charlie Kirk feedback
Kimmel’s deal with ABC runs by May 2026, beneath a three-year extension signed in September 2022.
Industry stories put his wage at $15 million to $16 million a yr, with some shops noting that bonuses can push his annual earnings above $20 million.
Kimmel followers protested ABC’s suspension of his show outdoors the El Capitan Entertainment Centre in Hollywood on Wednesday. REUTERS
Despite ABC’s indefinite suspension of the show, the community has not introduced any change to his contractual pay.
The Post has sought remark from Kimmel and ABC.
This yr’s erosion in viewership follows a bumpy 2024. Annual Nielsen ratings compiled by industry web site LateNighter show Kimmel averaged 1.77 million whole viewers final yr, down 2.3% from 2023. In the demo, he shed more than 12%, pulling 221,000 nightly viewers on average.
By comparability, CBS’s “Late Show with Stephen Colbert” held the highest broadcast spot with 2.57 million viewers and 281,000 within the demo, regardless of additionally shedding ground year-over-year.
Kimmel has trailed within the ratings race in opposition to upstart Greg Gutfeld of Fox News. Getty Images
NBC’s “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” lagged behind with 1.37 million whole viewers, nevertheless it narrowly trailed Kimmel within the demo with 220,000.
Fox News’ “Gutfeld!” remained cable’s late evening ratings juggernaut in 2024, averaging 2.76 million viewers — although this system airs at 10 p.m. when more viewers are awake.
Fox News shares common possession with The Post.
Comedy Central’s “Daily Show,” powered by Jon Stewart’s Monday evening return, posted the most important growth, surging 84% amongst whole viewers and 53% within the demo.
NBC’s “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” lagged behind Kimmel in whole viewers, however are close to even in terms of attracting youthful audiences. Todd Owyoung/NBC through Getty Images
Stephen Colbert leads among the many late evening hosts on over-the-air broadcast tv. Disney General Entertainment Content through Getty Images
Within broadcast, Kimmel’s place has weakened in 2025.
After a comparatively regular winter and spring, he has logged consecutive declines since June. His July average fell to 1.23 million viewers before dipping beneath 1.2 million in August, in accordance with Nielsen.
Quarterly numbers affirm the trend: Kimmel averaged 1.82 million viewers in Q1 2025, then slipped to 1.77 million in Q2. The August low alerts a deeper summer season swoon — although summer season viewership is historically decrease as most reveals air re-runs.
