Kimmel to give "deeply personal" Christmas Day message on U.K. TV
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. Photo: Channel 4
Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel will deliver a "deeply personal" 2025 Alternative Christmas Message for viewers on Channel 4 in the U.K., the British network announced Sunday.
The big picture: He'll reflect on the past few months that saw his show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" briefly pulled from the air following outcry from President Trump and others in response to his comments on the ABC program about the killing of Charlie Kirk, per a Channel 4 statement.
- Channel 4 noted in the statement that Kimmel's comments drew "widespread protest and debate" in the U.S. "about freedom of speech and freedom of the press," and he's expected to address this in his message Thursday.
Context: The network's Christmas Day message has served as an alternative to the British monarch's annual televised address in the U.K. "to bring viewers a thought-provoking and often very personal reflection that is pertinent to the events of the past year," per the statement.
What to expect: While Kimmel's address Thursday will be a very personal reflection on what happened to his show and his public criticism of the Trump administration, he'll also reflect on the past few months in a "characteristically jovial" way.
- "Jimmy will say, 'From a fascism perspective, this has been a really great year,'" according to the statement.
Background: Other Channel 4 Alternative Christmas Message presenters include civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, former National Security Agency subcontractor Edward Snowden, ex-Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and a deep-fake version of the late British Queen Elizabeth II.
Go deeper: Jimmy Kimmel extends deal with ABC for another year
