Jimmy Kimmel's comeback dealt blow as major ABC affiliate refuses to air show

A major ABC affiliate has refused to air Jimmy Kimmel Live! despite its return on Disney and other channels.

Sinclair Inc, whose local stations pay to run ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live!, is standing by its policy from last week to keep the show off air indefinitely. However, the late-night show will run tonight on other ABC affiliates after ABC held "thoughtful conversations" with Jimmy in the past few days.

But Sinclair Inc will air its own news programming instead tonight, it has confirmed. A statement said: "Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming. Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show's potential return." Talks are ongoing with Sinclair Inc and Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which has been a staple on US TV since 2003.

Although the veteran broadcaster is said to be furious with the network after his suspension following divisive comments about the reaction to Charlie Kirk's assassination on Monday and Tuesday's shows, he will front the programme tonight on the relevant channels.

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It is understood the 57-year-old host still intends to leave ABC when his contract expires next May and has only agreed to return to the airwaves to support staff working on the late-night talk show, an ABC staple since 2003. It is unclear where their futures may lie if Jimmy doesn't pursue options with ABC following the end of his deal.

"He is coming back for everyone that works for him and out of respect for them, he wanted everyone in his crew not to miss any pay and any more work than they already have missed," an insider said today.

It is thought staff were still paid while Jimmy Kimmel Live! was off air, but some employees were snapped packing up and leaving the Hollywood studio in the wake of the row. Talks resumed with Jimmy, a father of four, and ABC was in a position to confirm the programme would return this week.

But the insider suggested Jimmy, who has been in the industry since 1989, remains angry and is likely to make that known during his live broadcast tonight. They told the Daily Mail: "We won't know what he's doing to say to address it, they're going to keep that secret, but I can tell you he's not going to roll over and just take it. The last week has made his balls bigger, not smaller. I expect him to come out swinging and I think everyone here does... We are depending on him to stand up for what's right. If he doesn't, there will be a mutiny.

"As much as he wanted to leave ABC and expected not to be coming back at all, he is happy that the people he works with will have some time to figure out their next steps, because what this taught Jimmy was that he might not be leaving ABC now, he will once his contract is up unless they offer him a boatload of money."