how many viewers did kimmel have

Jimmy Kimmel's return to late-night television on September 23, 2025, attracted approximately 6.26 to 6.3 million viewers according to various Nielsen ratings reports. This marked a record viewership for the show in over a decade and was about four times the show's usual audience, despite the fact that around 23-25% of ABC stations did not air the episode due to blackouts by some affiliates. Kimmel's typical viewership during the 2024-2025 season averaged around 1.4 to 1.6 million viewers, making this return episode notably significant in comparison. Additionally, Kimmel's monologue from the episode also garnered over 26 million views across social media platforms such as YouTube and Instagram, amplifying the total audience reach far beyond traditional broadcast viewers.