Jimmy Kimmel to return on ABC-affiliated Sinclair, Nexstar stations, ending blackout

Jimmy Kimmel Live returns tonight

ABC says ?Jimmy Kimmel Live!? will return to the network tonight, ending nearly a weeklong standoff against the host over some comments made in the wake of Charlie Kirks death. However, viewers in some markets won?t see Kimmel?s comeback. Sinclair Broadcast Group, one of the nation?s largest owners of local TV stations, said its ABC affiliates will preempt the program starting Tuesday and air news programming in its place. FOX 11 LA's Rachel Aragon has the latest.

Nexstar Media Group joined Sinclair Broadcast Group on Friday in bringing Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show back to its ABC-affiliated stations. 

Both companies are ending a dayslong TV blackout imposed on the show over remarks Kimmel made in the wake of Charlie Kirk's murder. 

FILE - Jimmy Kimmel Live!" airs every weeknight at 11:35 p.m. ET and features a diverse lineup of guests that include celebrities, athletes, musical acts, comedians and human interest subjects, along with comedy bits and a house band. (Photo by Randy

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What they're saying:

"Our objective throughout this process has been to ensure that programming remains accurate and engaging for the widest possible audience," Sinclair said in a statement Friday afternoon. "We take seriously our responsibility as local broadcasters to provide programming that serves the interests of our communities, while also honoring our obligations to air national network programming."

New episodes of the show air Monday through Thursday. Friday night’s rerun will be of Tuesday’s show — so viewers of Sinclair stations can see Kimmel's emotional return to the air.

The company, which operates 38 ABC-affiliated stations, added that it had received "thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers and community leaders representing a wide range of perspectives," and noticed "troubling acts of violence," referencing the shooting into the lobby of a Sacramento station.

"These events underscore why responsible broadcasting matters and why respectful dialogue between differing voices remains so important," Sinclair added.

Jimmy Kimmel returns after suspension 

The backstory:

Last week, ABC suspended Kimmel’s late-night show indefinitely after comments that he made about Charlie Kirk’s killing led a group of ABC-affiliated stations to say it would not air the show and provoked some ominous comments from a top federal regulator.

RELATED: Jimmy Kimmel Live! pulled by ABC stations over host's Charlie Kirk comments

The veteran late-night comic made several remarks about the reaction to the conservative activist’s assassination last week on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," including that "many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk."

During his Monday evening monologue, Kimmel suggested Kirk’s alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, might have been a pro-Trump Republican. "The MAGA Gang (is) desperately trying to characterize 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 said. "In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving."