The return of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday night drew its largest regular-episode audience in the show’s 22-year history, even as dozens of ABC affiliates refused to air it.
Preliminary Nielsen data shows 6.26 million viewers tuned in—more than triple the show’s average viewership from the second quarter, before Kimmel’s summer break, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Roughly 23% of U.S. households with televisions were unable to access the broadcast due to the blackout.
At least 66 ABC affiliates declined to carry the episode following Kimmel’s monologue addressing the killing of political commentator Charlie Kirk. Nexstar said Wednesday it is still evaluating whether to resume airing the show, adding that discussions with ABC have been “productive,” CNBC reports. Sinclair said it remains in talks with the network as well.
The episode also performed strongly online. Disney, ABC’s parent company, reported Kimmel’s monologue had more than 26 million views across YouTube and other social platforms, not including full streaming of the show. The broadcast additionally posted its highest rating among adults 18 to 49 in more than a decade.
Kimmel himself acknowledged the surge in interest, attributing it in part to President Trump’s vocal opposition. “The president tried his best to cancel me,” Kimmel joked during the broadcast. “Instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show. Backfired bigly.”