The first new episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” since his suspension averaged 6.3 million viewers via traditional television, more than three times the show’s typical TV viewership, even though the show was blacked out in dozens of markets.

In the key advertiser-friendly demographic of viewers ages 18 to 49, the show scored its “highest regularly scheduled episode in over 10 years,” ABC said Wednesday afternoon.

And on YouTube, Kimmel has been gaining more than a million views per hour. Combining ABC, YouTube and social media platforms, Kimmel’s monologue about free speech in America has reached tens of millions of people, and the view counts are still rising.

The preliminary Nielsen ratings, which will grow later once on-demand viewership is calculated, are all the more notable because the Kimmel telecast was not shown on scores of local ABC-affiliated stations.

Two major TV station groups, Nexstar and Sinclair, are continuing to preempt the talk show, and those groups have ABC-affiliated stations that reach roughly 23% of American TV households.

Curious viewers in those markets likely turned to YouTube and other streaming platforms to see Kimmel’s nearly 30-minute-long monologue.

The monologue video has been viewed more than 15 million times on YouTube so far, making it Kimmel’s most-viewed monologue of all time on the platform.

Previously, Kimmel’s most-watched YouTube video was the monologue when he tearfully revealed his son Billy’s heart disease eight years ago.

Jimmy Kimmel’s comeback show reached 6.26 million viewers, Disney says

• Jimmy Kimmel’s return to late-night TV reached an audience of 6.2 million viewers on broadcast, Disney said.
• In Q2 of this year, Kimmel’s show averaged 1.77 million viewers, Business Insider previously reported.
• Tuesday’s show didn’t reach nearly a quarter of ABC affiliates, Disney said.

Jimmy Kimmel’s return to late-night reached 6.2 million viewers on broadcast, despite not reaching nearly a quarter of ABC affiliates, according to a statement from Disney, ABC’s parent company.

Disney cited Nielsen Preliminary Fast National Live+Same Day Program Ratings for Tuesday.

Tuesday’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live” was the host’s first show after being temporarily suspended following his controversial remarks about the death of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

“In addition to linear ratings, the monologue has garnered more than 26 million views across YouTube and social platforms,” Disney said in the press release. As of publishing, the YouTube video has more than 17 million views.

In the second quarter of this year, Kimmel’s show had averaged around 1.77 million viewers, Business Insider previously reported.

Late-night TV continues to grapple with declining ratings as well as increasing pressure from President Donald Trump and his allies in government.

The ratings for Kimmel were not low on Tuesday, which the comedian noted in his monologue, saying, “I do tonight.”

Riding the massive momentum of his return, Jimmy Kimmel ended his record-breaking “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” broadcast, which drew 6.3 million TV viewers and over 15 million YouTube views for his free speech monologue, with a jaw-dropping tease of his next move. Kimmel announced he’s preparing an investigative segment exposing internal Fox News communications, allegedly revealing strategies to manipulate narratives that could undermine their credibility. This bombshell reportedly has Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld in a panic, with sources claiming he urged Kimmel to reconsider airing it, fearing it could permanently tarnish the network’s reputation and push it out of the late-night spotlight.

Despite Nexstar and Sinclair stations blacking out the show for 23% of U.S. TV households, Kimmel’s influence soared as fans flocked to streaming platforms. The segment, set to include leaked documents and insider testimonies, promises to shake the media landscape, potentially weakening Fox News’ grip on its audience. Kimmel’s bold move has sparked intense online buzz, with social media amplifying anticipation. This calculated strike could redefine late-night dynamics, solidifying Kimmel’s dominance and challenging his rivals in an unprecedented way.