Jimmy Kimmel’s comeback after his suspension has turned into a huge win for ABC.
His show, Jimmy Kimmel Live! scored its first-ever monthly ratings victory in the 11:35 PM slot this September.
Even though Kimmel returned in the final week of the month, his strong debut on September 23 and the following episodes were enough to push the show ahead of CBS’s Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
According to Nielsen’s latest ratings, Jimmy Kimmel Live! averaged 2.75 million viewers – up an impressive 149% from August.
Meanwhile, Colbert’s numbers dipped slightly to 2.73 million, and NBC’s Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon dropped 6% to 1.25 million viewers.
Kimmel’s show also led among the key 18–49 age group, jumping nearly 200% to 382,000 viewers. Fallon gained 43% with 191,000 in that demo, while Colbert fell 7% to 245,000.
NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers saw a modest boost, climbing 12% in total viewers and 25% among young adults. ABC’s Nightline benefited the most from Kimmel’s strong lead-in, soaring 49% in total viewers and 91% in the demo.
Elsewhere, The Daily Show on Comedy Central returned from a short break with 13 new episodes, drawing 980,000 viewers; a small dip from its summer average.
At 10 PM, Fox News’s Gutfeld! continued to dominate with 3.3 million total viewers, while Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live slipped slightly overall but improved among younger viewers.
All in all, Kimmel’s return has shaken up late-night TV, proving that a little controversy and good comedy can go a long way.
