Jimmy Kimmel Live! scores historic ratings win for the first time

Jimmy Kimmel’s return to Jimmy Kimmel Live! after a suspension has proven to be a major success for ABC. 

Even he though he came back in the last week of September, the show still managed to win the 11:35 PM time slot for the entire month, making its first-ever monthly ratings victory.

The show’s strong performance on September 23 and steady viewership in the days that followed helped it narrowly beat The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in total viewers.

Kimmel’s show averaged 2.75 million viewers in September, a huge 149% jump from August. 

Meanwhile, Colbert’s numbers dipped slightly to 2.73 million viewers and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon dropped 6% finishing with 1.25 million.

According to Nielsen’s Live+7 data, Kimmel also saw a major increase in the key 18-49 age group, jumping 196% to 382,000 viewers and Fallon rose 43% in that demo to 191, 1000, while Colbert declined by 7% to 245,000.

In the later 12:37 Am slot, Late Night with Seth Meyers gained 12% in total viewers (973,000) and 25% in the demo (116,000). ABC’s Nightline also saw a big boost, likely thanks to Kimmel’s strong lead-in, with a 49% rise in viewers (909,000) and a 91% jump in the demo (130,000). 

CBS’s Comics Unleased with Byron Allen which debuted on September 23, is not being tracked yet by Nielsen.

The Daily Show on Comedy Central returned in September after a five-week break, airing 13 new episodes. It average 980,000 total viewers and 204,000 in the demo slightly lower than its July numbers.

Meanwhile, at 10PM, Gutfeld! on Fox News continued to lead with 3.3 million viewers (up 7%) and 244,000 in the demo (up 11%). Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live dropped 5% to 254,000 viewers but saw a small demo increase of 6%, reaching 57,000.