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Kimmel Thanks Rival Network for Ratings Surge
23 Jul
Summary
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! viewership surged to 3.15 million in June.
- Colbert's final episode attracted 6.74 million viewers.
- CBS paid an undisclosed amount for unauthorized music use.
Jimmy Kimmel's late-night program achieved its highest monthly audience in 23 years, with an average of 3.15 million viewers in June 2026. This surge followed the conclusion of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on CBS in mid-May 2026, with Kimmel attributing the ratings boost to CBS's decision. Kimmel's show saw a 17 percent increase in viewership from May.
Colbert's final broadcast on May 21, 2026, attracted a remarkable 6.74 million viewers, marking its most-watched episode. However, the show later faced a licensing fee for using the Peanuts TV specials' theme song, "Linus and Lucy," without proper permission. CBS paid an undisclosed sum for the music.
The increased viewership for Kimmel's show continued into June 2026. On June 1, 2026, when both Kimmel's and Jimmy Fallon's shows returned with new episodes post-Colbert's finale, Kimmel's program dominated the 11:35 p.m. slot with 2.185 million total viewers, a 53 percent year-on-year increase.
