Jimmy Kimmel’s time away from late-night TV might’ve seemed like bad news at first, but it ended up being one of the best things that’s ever happened to Jimmy Kimmel Live!
After his unexpected suspension, Kimmel came roaring back in late September, and the numbers don’t lie. His show scored its first-ever monthly ratings win in the 11:35 PM slot, according to Nielsen data reported by Latenighter.
Even though Kimmel was only back for the last week of the month, his September 23 return and the few episodes that followed were enough to put Jimmy Kimmel Live! ahead of CBS’s Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
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The ABC show reportedly pulled in an average of 2.75 million viewers, up a jaw-dropping 149% from August. Meanwhile, Colbert’s audience reportedly slipped a bit to 2.73 million, and NBC’s Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon reportedly dropped 6% to 1.25 million viewers.
Kimmel didn’t just win in total viewers either. He dominated among younger audiences—the key 18–49 demographic that advertisers love—soaring nearly 200% to 382,000 viewers. Fallon saw a smaller bump of 43% with 191,000 in that group, while Colbert dipped 7% to 245,000.
The ratings ripple didn’t stop there. NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers also got a little lift, growing 12% in total viewers and 25% among younger adults. Over on ABC, Nightline reaped major benefits from Kimmel’s strong lead-in, surging 49% in total viewers and 91% in the 18–49 demo.
Meanwhile, Comedy Central’s The Daily Show came back from a short hiatus with 13 new episodes, pulling in 980,000 viewers—a slight dip from its summer average, but still holding steady in a crowded late-night field.
At 10 PM, Fox News’ Gutfeld! kept its crown as the cable king, averaging 3.3 million viewers overall. On Bravo, Watch What Happens Live saw a small decline in total viewership but gained traction among younger fans.
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In short, Kimmel’s return completely reshuffled the late-night pecking order. What started as a suspension turned into a major comeback story for both the comedian and ABC. The buzz surrounding his return, mixed with sharp writing and a loyal fan base, helped fuel the surge.
If there’s one takeaway here, it’s that absence really can make the heart grow fonder—or at least make viewers remember why they tuned in to begin with.
Kimmel’s back on top, and it looks like the late-night wars just got interesting again.
