Jimmy Kimmel poses with the award for outstanding host for a game show for “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” during night one of the Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Jimmy Kimmel poses with the award … more >

Kimmel tops broadcast late-night premiere week in key demo for fifth year

by · The Washington Times

ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” won the first week of the fall television season in late night, finishing ahead of its broadcast rivals in total viewers and among adults 18-49, according to Variety.

For the week of Sept. 21, the show averaged 2.29 million viewers and a 0.21 rating among adults 18-49. The figures are live-plus-same-day ratings that combine big data and panel measurement.

Mr. Kimmel’s show beat NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” which averaged 1.3 million viewers, during the 11:35 p.m. hour. CBS’ “Comics Unleashed” drew 704,000 viewers in its first half hour and 521,000 in its second.

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It was the second straight year that “Jimmy Kimmel Live” opened the season as the top late-night show in both total viewers and adults 18-49. It was also the fifth consecutive year the show led late night in the 18-49 demographic during premiere week.

Premiere week was down slightly from the week of Sept. 14, the final week of the 2025-2026 season, though that was a three-night week. With guests including Stephen Colbert, the show led that week with 2.34 million viewers and a 0.22 rating among adults 18-49.

For the full 2025-2026 season, the show averaged 2 million total viewers, its most-watched season since 2017-2018. Its 0.18 rating among adults 18-49 was tops among the broadcast late-night shows and its best in the demographic since 2021-2022.

Premiere week guests included Woody Harrelson, Jamie Foxx, Ke Huy Quan, Brandi Carlile and Ben Affleck. This week, Mr. Kimmel is broadcasting from Brooklyn, with scheduled guests including Pete Davidson, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Howard Stern, Amy Schumer, Billy Crystal, Paul McCartney and Sen. Bernie Sanders.

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