Overview

• Kimmel said ABC phoned him hours before a planned taping to say they wanted to "cool the temperature" and would take the show off the air.
• He recounted that a producers' vote went against him, leading to the pause despite an audience already seated and segments prepared.
• ABC removed Jimmy Kimmel Live! from the schedule on Sept. 17, and the show returned after a six-day hiatus on Sept. 23.
• Kimmel told Colbert he feared the show was finished, informed staff it was over, and described paparazzi pursuit that left his family shaken.
• The interview also came as Colbert faces scrutiny after CBS set his Late Show to end in May 2026, and President Trump publicly welcomed Kimmel’s suspension.