Jimmy Kimmel used his 2025 Channel 4 "Alternative Christmas Message" to issue pointed criticism of former US President Donald Trump, warning British viewers that "tyranny is booming" in the United States.

The 58-year-old late-night host addressed the controversy surrounding ABC's decision to place "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on an indefinite hiatus in September, following his remarks about conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

According to People, Kimmel told viewers, "Trump would like to shut me up because I don't adore him in the way he likes to be adored.

The American government made a threat against me and the company I work for, and all of a sudden we were off the air."

Kimmel described the show's return on September 23 as a "September Christmas miracle," crediting the millions of viewers who spoke out in support of free speech.

"People who never watched my show, people who were on record saying they hate my show spoke out... Because so many people spoke out, we came back. Our show came back stronger than ever," he said.

The host also highlighted the broader threat of government censorship, joking, "That's what we thought, and now we've got King Donny the Eighth calling for executions... It happens fast."

Kimmel warned that the United States is "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."

Jimmy Kimmel Brings Humor and Hope in Channel 4

Kimmel used humor to connect with British viewers, acknowledging the complicated history between the US and the UK, while emphasizing that not all Americans support Trump's actions.

"We're not all like him. We're not all like that," he said. He urged viewers to remain optimistic, adding, "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."

The Channel 4 Alternative Christmas Message, a tradition since 1993, offers a counterpoint to the British monarch's televised address.

Past speakers have included whistleblower Edward Snowden and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, HuffPost reported.

He concluded on a lighthearted note, thanking British viewers for their patience and referencing pop culture favorites, saying, "Thank you for Spider-Man. Merry Christmas, and happy holidays."

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Jimmy Kimmel, Donald trump