Jimmy Kimmel returned to his late-night show with a tearful statement over Charlie Kirk comments.
Last week, Jimmy Kimmel Live! was suspended 'indefinitely' by the Disney-owned ABC network after addressing the assassination of Charlie Kirk and mocking President Trump’s reaction.
The comedian showed clips of Trump, who appeared to sidestep discussing the tragedy to announce the White House's renovation plans. Many figures, like Trump, celebrated the suspension while others criticised it as an attack on free speech.
The US president has since questioned ABC on their decision to revive the show, writing on Truth Social: “I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back.
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“The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled! Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his 'talent' was never there."
According to Jimmy Kimmel’s cousin, Sal Iacono, more ‘bombshells’ are expected to emerge in the fallout.
On his first show back on Tuesday night (23 September), Kimmel addressed his comments on Kirk saying it was 'never his intention to make light of the murder of a young man'.
While holding back tears, he explained: “I don’t think there is anything funny about it, I posted a message on Instagram on the day he was killed sending love to his family and asking for compassion and I meant it and I still do.”
Kimmel added that he completely understood why the remarks 'felt either ill-timed or unclear, or maybe both'.
The late-night host also touched on the words that Kirk's widow, Erika, made at his memorial on Sunday (21 September).
“Erika Kirk forgave the man who shot her husband. That is an example we should follow,” he stated. “It touched me deeply. And if there’s anything we should take from this tragedy to carry forward, I hope it can be that, not this.”
Later on in the show, Kimmel turned his focus to Trump, saying he did 'his best to cancel me' but 'instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show'.
He added: "The President of the United States made it very clear he wants to see me and the hundreds of people who work here fired from our jobs. Our leader celebrates Americans losing their livelihoods because he can’t take a joke.
"One thing I did learn from Lenny Bruce and George Carlin and Howard Stern, is that a government threat to silence a comedian the president doesn’t like is anti-American.”"