Did Disney lose $5 billion before bringing Jimmy Kimmel back?

Disney allegedly lost billions after suspending Jimmy Kimmel, sparking questions about what forced his fast return.

The Walt Disney Company has reversed its suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! after a week of turmoil, and mounting financial losses allegedly played a part in the decision. The show was pulled on 17 September 2025 after Kimmel made remarks about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, comments ABC called “ill-timed and insensitive.” Disney, which owns ABC, announced the programme will return on 23 September following internal discussions and growing pressure.

According to reports, Disney’s stock dropped by around 2.39 percent in the days following the suspension, which allegedly represented close to 5 billion dollars in market value. Other outlets put the figure closer to 3.8 billion, but all point to significant financial pressure. In addition to stock losses, hashtags like #BoycottDisney trended on X, with users claiming to cancel Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ subscriptions. While the scale of cancellations is not verified, it allegedly fed into a sense of financial instability.

Analysts suggested advertisers were also concerned. With Kimmel’s show off the air, Disney risked losing a prime slot of late-night ad revenue. Executives were also said to be worried about regulatory attention, as the FCC had reportedly received complaints about ABC’s handling of the incident. The combined pressure from investors, advertisers and customers allegedly led Disney chief Bob Iger and his team to rethink their strategy.

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What is confirmed is that Kimmel’s return was fast-tracked. Less than a week after the suspension, ABC announced the host would resume taping his show, a rare reversal for the network. Industry insiders claimed the financial impact was too severe to ignore.

It remains unverified whether the decision was triggered by a specific dollar figure, but the timing suggests that Wall Street reaction and online fallout played an outsized role. Allegedly, executives concluded the reputational risk of keeping Kimmel sidelined outweighed the controversy of his remarks.

With the show’s return, Disney faces questions about how it balances corporate image with free expression, and whether short-term political pressures can outweigh long-term financial stability. As one analyst told the Financial Times, “Disney can’t afford to lose billions over late-night television.”