Jimmy Kimmel reportedly in talks with Disney and ABC to bring back his axed show

Jimmy Kimmel is reportedly in talks with Disney and ABC to bring back his axed late-night show.

Earlier this week, it was announced that Jimmy Kimmel Live had been pulled indefinitely from the ABC network – which is owned by Disney – over the host’s recent comments following Charlie Kirk’s death, sparking fears around political censorship.

Right-wing activist Kirk was shot in the neck and killed at Utah Valley University campus on September 10, where he was hosting his first event as part of his ‘America Comeback’ Tour, and, following the incident, Kimmel said that all signs pointed to Kirk’s shooter being a Trump supporter.

“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterise this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” he said in his Monday night monologue.

The subsequent fallout saw the show taken off-air indefinitely, a move that sparked a strong response from either side of the political spectrum.

Now, Kimmel’s business and legal representatives are said to be in discussions with Disney and ABC executives in the hopes of reaching a compromise that would allow for the return of the show, Variety reports.

However, the publication’s sources stressed that were was no guarantee Kimmel would make his return or accept ABC’s terms, although it was noted he was cognizant of the effect a shutdown would have on the production staff working on the show.

Variety reported that Disney representatives declined to comment, while Kimmel’s team did not respond to requests for comment.

While the move to cancel the show has been celebrated by President Donald Trump, with whom the host has had a long-running feud, many in the entertainment industry have spoken out against the suspension. Almost all of Hollywood’s prominent creative guilds have condemned the decision, while fellow late-night legends Stephen Colbert and David Letterman have also spoken out, voicing concerns over free speech.

Tatiana Maslany is also among the dissenting voices, notable for being the star of Marvel show She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, which was made for Disney+. In an Instagram story, she shared a picture of herself in a motion capture suit for the filming of the show, with the caption “Cancel your @disneyplus @hulu @espn subscriptions!” All three services tagged are owned by Disney. A screengrab of the story has since circulated social media.

Elsewhere, comedian and podcaster Marc Maron criticised the suspension, saying on Instagram: “This is government censorship. This is the Trump administration coming after people who speak out against him.”