Jimmy Kimmel Tells British Viewers ‘Tyranny Is Booming’ in America During Christmas Message [WATCH]

Left-wing late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel delivered a pointed message to British viewers on Christmas Day, using a special broadcast on the United Kingdom’s Channel 4 to criticize President Donald Trump and the state of American politics.

Kimmel was selected to present Channel 4’s annual “alternative Christmas message,” a tradition the network began in 1993 as a counterpoint to the British monarch’s traditional holiday address.

Channel 4 has said the alternative message is intended to be a personal reflection tied to major events of the year.

During his fireside-style address, Kimmel told viewers overseas that “tyranny is booming over here,” referring to political conditions in the United States.

The appearance marked a rare instance of an American late-night host addressing a UK audience during one of the country’s most-watched television moments.

Kimmel’s selection followed controversy surrounding his ABC program, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which was temporarily pulled off the air in September after comments he made about the killing of conservative activist and free speech advocate Charlie Kirk.

During that period, Kimmel also mocked President Trump’s response to the killing, which included ordering American flags to be flown at half-staff.

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“You may have read in your colorful newspapers my country’s president would like to shut me up because I don’t adore him in the way he likes to be adored,” Kimmel said during his Christmas address, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Kimmel attributed the return of his program to public support, claiming large numbers of Americans intervened on his behalf.

“And because so many people spoke out, we came back. Our show came back stronger than ever. We won, the president lost, and now I’m back on the air every night giving the most powerful politician on Earth a right, and richly deserved, bollocking,” he said, using British slang for scolding.

Kimmel did not provide evidence to support his claim that “millions and millions of people” demanded the show’s return.

During the Channel 4 broadcast, Kimmel also referred to President Trump as “King Donny the 8th,” framing his criticism as an apology to British viewers for the political climate in the United States.

“We don’t have a problem with your king, just the guy who thinks he’s our king,” Kimmel said.

He continued by urging British viewers not to lose faith in the United States.

“Don’t give up on us,” Kimmel said.

“We’re going through a bit of a wobble right now, but we’ll come around.”

The Christmas message came months after Kimmel faced backlash for comments made on his ABC show suggesting that Charlie Kirk’s killer may have been connected to what Kimmel described as the “MAGA gang.”

He also criticized Trump’s response to the killing, which included the order to lower American flags nationwide.

In response to the controversy, ABC, Disney, and affiliated networks temporarily removed Jimmy Kimmel Live! from their schedules.

Broadcast group Nexstar said at the time that Kimmel’s remarks were “offensive and insensitive” and came “at a critical time in our national political discourse.” The company said the decision reflected a desire to “move toward the resumption of respectful, constructive dialogue.”

The show was later reinstated across ABC’s platforms. Following his return, Kimmel addressed the controversy during an on-air monologue that drew further criticism.

He was accused by critics of offering a non-apology and reframing the situation to portray himself as a victim of political pressure rather than addressing the substance of the remarks.

Channel 4’s decision to feature Kimmel placed the American host in a prominent position during the UK holiday broadcast schedule, giving him a platform traditionally used to comment on national and international events.

The appearance ensured that Kimmel’s remarks reached an audience beyond the United States while reigniting debate over his comments, his temporary removal from television, and the broader role of political commentary in late-night entertainment.

The Obama-era talk show host’s Christmas address added another chapter to a year marked by controversy surrounding his program and his repeated clashes with President Trump, both on television and now on an international stage.

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