‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Has Seen Sharp Decline in Viewership Over the Last Ten Years Reports Say

Earlier this week Sinclair Broadcast Group announced it will stop airing Jimmy Kimmel Live! after the host made controversial remarks about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

The information comes directly from Sinclair. The company said it coordinated with ABC to preempt the show indefinitely, and ABC also paused production of new episodes.

“Mr. Kimmel’s remarks were inappropriate and deeply insensitive at a critical moment for our country,” said Sinclair Vice Chairman Jason Smith. “We believe broadcasters have a responsibility to educate and elevate respectful, constructive dialogue in our communities.”

Sinclair added that FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s comments underscore the need for regulatory action to address the influence of national networks over local broadcasters. The company plans to air a special in memory of Charlie Kirk this Friday in Kimmel’s timeslot, which will also be shown across all Sinclair stations over the weekend. They are offering the special to other ABC affiliates nationwide.

While the suspension drew political attention and concerns over free speech, President Donald Trump suggested ABC pulled the show largely due to falling ratings. A closer look at viewership data shows Jimmy Kimmel Live! has been losing viewers steadily over the past decade.

In 2015, the show averaged 2.4 million viewers. That number dropped to 2.2 million in 2016 and 2017, 2.1 million in 2018, 1.9 million in 2019, and 1.8 million in 2020. By 2021, nightly viewership fell to 1.5 million, and in 2025, the program averaged 1.6 million—down 37% from 2015 totals.

The decline is even sharper in the key 25-54 age group that advertisers care about most. The show drew nearly 1 million viewers in this demographic in 2015 but only 261,000 in 2025, a staggering 72% drop over ten years.

Analysts note that this trend coincides with the rise of streaming and cord-cutting, but not all late-night shows are losing viewers at the same rate. Jimmy Kimmel Live! now trails significantly behind competitors like Fox News Channel’s Gutfeld!

The ratings drop suggests that declining audience numbers may have played a significant role alongside controversy in ABC’s decision to suspend the show.

In my view, while political controversy certainly draws attention, the steep ratings decline shows that Kimmel’s audience has been shrinking for years. This makes it harder for the network to justify keeping the show in its lineup. What do you think about ABC’s decision? Share your thoughts in the comments.