Jimmy Kimmel graced the screens of Channel 4 in the UK, delivering an "alternative" Christmas speech, a shot across the bow at President Donald Trump. In this message, he reflected on his brief hiatus from his talk show following his remarks on the assassination of Charlie Kirk. He then delved into the political climate of the year, expressing both apologies and words of solidarity on behalf of the American people.
Kimmel's fiery victory speech on Christmas began with a sly introduction, revealing that he had been tasked with delivering a counterpoint to the British monarch's annual address. With a wry tone, he remarked from a "fascism perspective" that this year had been "really great," adding, "Tyranny is booming over here."
Addressing his suspension from Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the iconic host revealed that Trump was displeased with his comments about Kirk and clearly bothered that he didn't "adore" him "the way he likes to be adored." However, he was surprised by the overwhelming support from viewers who brought the show back on air in September 2025.
"Millions and millions of people stood up and said: 'No, this is not acceptable.' People who never watched my show, people who were on record saying they hate my show spoke out, they marched, they did this all to support the right to a free expression of speech," he said. "And because so many people spoke out, we 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."
Kimmel further noted that his country was "proud" of having no monarchy, clarifying that he didn't hold anything against the King's rule but was critical of their own president. "Here in the United States right now we are both figuratively and literally tearing down the structures of our democracy. From the free press, to science, to medicine, to judicial independence, to the actual White House itself, we are a right mess," he added.
Apologizing for the impact their country was having on others, he said, "And we know this is also affecting you, and I just wanted to say sorry. And we want you to know, or at least I want you to know, that we're not all like him. We're not all like that."
Sharing his Christmas message, he added, "Don't give up on us. We're going through a bit of a wobble right now, but we'll come around. It may not seem like it, but we love you guys. We even love the things about you that you don't like, like Simon Cowell for instance."
He further remarked, "We are not bright. We're Americans. No one knows better than you we're always just a little bit late to the game. But do we come through in the end? Maybe. Give us about three years. Please." Kimmel also thanked everyone for their "patience" and wished them happy holidays.
