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Jimmy Kimmel Suspension Hit Disney Where It Hurts

A new report reveals how many Americans canceled their Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions following Kimmel's suspension.

By Kirsten Howard | October 22, 2025 | | 0

JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE! – “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. The guests for Tuesday, September 23 included Glen Powell (“Chad Powers”), and musical guest Sarah McLachlan. (Disney/Randy Holmes) JIMMY KIMMEL — JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE! – “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. The guests for Tuesday, September 23 included Glen Powell (“Chad Powers”), and musical guest Sarah McLachlan. *Photo: Randy Holmes | Disney*

It seems that Disney got hit where it hurts in September 2025. A new report claims that Disney+ sustained a significant subscriber decline that month, losing nearly 3 million users. That’s a substantial increase from the usual monthly average of 1.2 million cancellations, and the downturn followed ABC’s temporary suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! after host Jimmy Kimmel made politically charged comments about the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.

The controversy ball began rolling when Kimmel remarked on the MAGA movement’s response to the killing, leading to backlash from conservative figures and media outlets. In response, ABC, which is owned by Disney, preempted Kimmel’s show for six days. The decision was said to be influenced by pressure from the Trump administration and broadcast preemptions by affiliate groups Nexstar and Sinclair.

Kimmel’s suspension went on to spark a wave of protests. Late night hosts John Oliver and Stephen Colbert criticized the move, with Oliver urging viewers to cancel their Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions. Howard Stern also publicly condemned the suspension, likening it to past battles with the FCC and calling on ABC to resist political interference. More than 400 entertainment professionals signed an open letter urging ABC to reinstate Kimmel and resist political pressure. Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner also publicly questioned the company’s leadership decisions, and even Barack Obama weighed in.

In the other corner, Sinclair Broadcast Group, owner of over 30 ABC affiliate stations, demanded that Kimmel remain off-air unless he apologized to Kirk’s family and made financial contributions to them.

Kimmel eventually returned on September 23, drawing a record-breaking 6.2 million viewers and quadrupling his usual audience.

Despite significant subscriber losses in September, Disney+ did see a slight increase in new sign-ups, with numbers rising from 1.99 million in August to 2.18 million in September. However, the overall impact of the suspension on subscriber retention will likely remain a concern for a while.