Kimmel now gets emotional as he touches on his comments on Charlie Kirk's killer.

"It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man," he says through tears.

He adds that it was also never his intention to go blame any specific group.

Kimmel also says he understands people who thought his comments were ill-timed.

During his monologue last Monday, Kimmel said: "The Maga Gang desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”

Kimmel takes a moment to thank his supporters as well as those who have protested for his show to come back on air.

"You cared enough about my show to make your voices heard so mine can be heard," he said.

He also thanks the figures who don't like his show, but supported his right to free speech.

He mentions conservatives Ben Shapiro, Candace Owens, Ted Cruz and Rand Paul by name, saying they "deserve credit" for speaking out against the Trump administration and his right to free speech.

Kimmel goes on to thank all the hosts who backed him during the controversy.

Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, and Howard Stern and David Letterman have backed Kimmel over the controversy.

He also thanks his fans, saying: "I'll never forget it."

And here he comes.

Image source, Getty Images

Jimmy Kimmel has just started his monologue to uproarious applause from the crowd and chants of "Jimmy".

He makes his first joke, mentioning the "interruption" to his show.

"I'm happy to be here tonight with you," he says. "I'm not sure who had a weirder 48 hours - me or the CEO of Tylenol."

Here's a five-minute countdown to the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show,

It'll be his first episode back since he was pulled off the air last week - and we're expecting him to at least touch on his suspension in his monologue.

We'll bring you all the key lines here. Stick with us.

Image source, Reuters

Jimmy Kimmel has made his first post on social media since his late night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! was taken off the air last week.

Just hours before his show returns to the airwaves on after a six-day suspension, the TV personality posted a photo on Instagram showing him smiling beside TV writer and activist Norman Lear.

"Missing this guy today," Kimmel wrote of Lear, who died in 2023.

Lear created a number of hit shows in the 1970s like All in the Family, The Jeffersons, and Maude. He was known for showcasing controversial issues and breaking taboos in his TV shows.

Regan Morris
Reporting from Los Angeles

Outside the El Capitan theatre in Hollywood where Jimmy Kimmel tapes his show, it's apparent that no matter what the comic says, it won’t please everyone.

And Disney is in the middle of a tricky political battle it doesn’t want.

Supporters are glad Jimmy was back. Some say they’d already canceled their Disney+ and Hulu streaming service subscriptions. I also met people annoyed Kimmel’s show was back on TV, blaming Disney and ABC for “caving” to liberals.

This is a problem for Disney if people on the right and left are calling for boycotts.

The bulk of Disney’s revenue doesn’t come from movies or TV. It comes from theme parks and Disney experiences.

If people offended by Kimmel’s comments about Charlie Kirk decide to skip Disney cruises or vacations at Disneyland - then Disney has a much bigger problem than people canceling Hulu.

Image source, EPA

An hour before the show is on, Donald Trump takes to social media to slam Kimmel's return to the air.

"I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back," he posts on Truth Social, his social media platform. "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."

The president doubles down on his earlier statements that Kimmel is "not funny" and has poor ratings - and now threatens to go after ABC.

"I think we're going to test ABC out on this. Let's see how we do," Trump posts.

"Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million," he adds. "This one sounds even more lucrative."

For context: In 2024, ABC News agreed to pay $15m (£12m) to Trump to settle a defamation lawsuit after its star anchor George Stephanopoulos falsely said he had been found "liable for rape".

Image source, Reuters

Actor Glen Powell and musician Sarah McLachlan will be guests on Tuesday night's episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the first since the show was suspended six days ago.

Powell, the 36-year-old American actor known for his leading roles in Anyone But You and Twisters, will be discussing his role in Hulu's upcoming comedy series Chad Powers.

McLachlan, the 57-year-old Canadian singer-songwriter, will be performing a musical number ahead of her upcoming fall tour.

Notably, McLachlan had cancelled her scheduled performance at an ABC event Sunday night, saying she was standing "in solidarity in support of free speech,” according to a video of her speech posted on X, external. She did not explicitly mention Kimmel, whose late night show appears on ABC.

Image source, Reuters

Jimmy Kimmel's name has dominated US and global news for seven days, but there's been one voice who we have not heard from - Kimmel himself.

Very soon we will find out what he has to say about his suspension.

Jimmy Kimmel Live returns to the airways tonight (although some local TV networks are refusing to air him).

And the late night show host will have the opportunity to address the comments he originally made that caused uproar among many conservatives, as well as his abrupt suspension that caused days of discussion about government censorship and free speech.

Over the next hour we will remind you how this saga unfolded, and then we will bring you live updates from show.

Stick with us.

Image source, Reuters

Late night host Jimmy Kimmel will be back on the airwaves on Tuesday after being suspended for six days. Here is a recap of what happened:

• Jimmy Kimmel's late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! will resume airing on Tuesday, according to Disney
• The comedian's show was suspended after he said the man suspected of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk was part of the right wing, and accused conservatives of using Kirk's death to score political points
• In today's statement, Disney said it suspended Kimmel because "we felt some of the comments were ill-timed and thus insensitive"
• Kimmel's suspension caused considerable backlash from Hollywood, including from Kimmel's fellow talk show hosts Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, John Stewart and John Oliver
• The suspension turned political with many Democrats and some Republicans criticising the involvement of FCC chair Brendan Carr
• Before the suspension, Carr had threatened action against Kimmel's broadcasters and said: "We can do this the easy way or the hard way"
• At an unrelated press conference today, US President Donald Trump did not respond to questions about Kimmel's show returning. He previously had congratulated ABC for suspending Kimmel

We are now pausing this live coverage, but you can stay across any further updates on Jimmy Kimmel here.

Anna Gomez, the only Democratic commissioner in the FCC, is celebrating Kimmel's reinstatement.

"I am glad to see Disney find its courage in the face of clear government intimidation," she said. "It will continue to be up to us as citizens to push back against this administration's growing campaign of censorship and control."

Gomez was the only commissioner to speak out against Kimmel's suspension, saying, "No FCC rules were violated. The FCC has no business threatening broadcasters".

For context: FCC chair Brendan Carr said Kimmel had appeared to "directly mislead the American public" with his comments about Charlie Kirk's alleged killer. Before Kimmel's suspension, Carr had threatened action against Kimmel's broadcasters. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way," he said on a conservative podcast.

While many Republican lawmakers supported the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, some prominent voices criticised the involvement of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Texas Senator Ted Cruz warned against letting the FCC censor voices, saying last week: "It might feel good to threaten Jimmy Kimmel. But when it is used to silence every conservative in America, we will regret it".

He said Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Brendan Carr's threat to ABC over their comedian's monologue about slain conservative influencer Charlie Kirk was "dangerous as hell".

Before the suspension, Carr had threatened action against Kimmel's broadcasters by saying: "We can do this the easy way or the hard way"

"That's right out of Goodfellas," Cruz said when talking about Carr.

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul also criticised the FCC chair's comments, saying he "has got no business" getting involved.

• Read more: Senator Ted Cruz says US broadcast regulator acted like 'mafioso' on Jimmy Kimmel

Donald Trump just wrapped up a press conference about autism, and as he was leaving the room, several reporters shouted questions to him about Jimmy Kimmel.

The president didn't respond to any of those questions and continued walking out of the room.

Image source, Reuters

15 Sept - Jimmy Kimmel makes a remark on the evening's episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, linking Charlie Kirk's suspected killer to the MAGA movement

16 Sept - Conservative news networks criticise Kimmel's comments, pointing out reports that the alleged killer subscribed to a "leftist" ideology

17 Sept - FCC chairman Brendan Carr threatens to act against Disney and ABC, saying on a conservative podcast that: "we can do this the easy way or the hard way"

Later that day, ABC suspends Jimmy Kimmel Live! President Trump hails the suspension as "great news for America"

22 Sept - Disney announces that Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return on Tuesday

America's late-night TV hosts rallied behind fellow comedian Jimmy Kimmel last week, taking to their respective programmes to condemn - or make fun of - the decision to pull Kimmel from the airwaves.

Outgoing CBS host Stephen Colbert began The Late Show by saying "we are all Jimmy Kimmel", and said the star's removal was a "blatant assault on freedom of speech".

On NBC's Late Night, host Seth Meyers declared it was "a privilege and honour to call Jimmy Kimmel my friend", while Jon Stewart and Jimmy Fallon tackled the free speech issue by doing satirical sketches in which they were apparently forced to praise Donald Trump.

• Read more: US TV hosts back Kimmel as Trump threatens networks

Some lawmakers from the Democratic Party are weighing in on the news of Kimmel's return.

Senator Chuck Schumer of California writes on X, external: "This is big: Jimmy Kimmel is coming back!

"This is about fighting for free speech and against these abuses by Donald Trump and Brendan Carr," Schumer says.

California Governor Gavin Newsom applauded Kimmel's return and took aim at FCC Chairman Brendan Carr

"Thank you to everyone but @BrendanCarrFCC. This is a win for free speech everywhere," the Democrat wrote, external.

US Representative Joe Neguse, a lawmaker from Colorado, called for FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to resign after previously saying on X, external that Carr's actions are "shameful" and "a clear abuse of power".

We are keeping an eye out for reactions from Republican lawmakers and will bring you those when we have them.

Nomia Iqbal
North America correspondent

Even though this is a victory for those who protested Jimmy Kimmel's suspension, the real test will be if Kimmel changes his routine in any way.

He has always been a vocal critical of Donald Trump. Political satire on these late night shows has been a very prominent feature of America culture.

And whilst the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, denied Kimmel was suspended because of pressure from the Trump administration, Donald Trump didn't hide his delight at the suspension. Trump also suggested on Friday he'd go after other broadcast networks.

Image source, Getty Images

We're starting to see some reaction to Kimmel's suspension being lifted.

Actor Ben Stiller reposted the news and responded with a trio of applause emojis. Stiller is among the hundreds of celebrities and prominent Hollywood figures who signed on to a letter backing Kimmel and to "defend and preserve our constitutionally protected rights".

The Severance producer was also among the first Hollywood voices to condemn ABC's decision to suspend Kimmel, writing on social media: "This isn’t right".