Weekly Ratings: Demo Surge Drives Late-Night Ratings Recovery

Late night rebounded in the ratings during the week of Jan. 25, as most shows recovered from the prior frame’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day disruption, which had left several programs dark Monday—traditionally one of the strongest nights of the week.

According to Nielsen Live+3 data, CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert once again led the 11:35 pm hour in total viewers, averaging 2.41 million for the week, up 12 percent from the previous frame. Colbert also climbed 19 percent in adults 18–49 to 213,000, finishing second in the demo.

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! posted the biggest gains of any broadcast late-night show, rising 15 percent in total viewers to 2.36 million and surging 40 percent in the demo to 238,000 adults 18–49. That performance was enough to give Kimmel the top spot among younger viewers at 11:35 p.m., though he trailed Colbert in total audience by roughly 50,000 viewers.

NBC’s Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon also moved higher among total viewers, averaging 1.26 million viewers (+3 percent) , though it was the only show in the hour to post a week-to-week decline in the demo (–13 percent) at 146,000.

The biggest breakout of the week came at 11:00 p.m., where Comedy Central’s The Daily Show delivered one of its strongest performances of the season. The series jumped 37 percent in total viewers to 1.08 million and soared 62 percent in adults 18–49 to 287,000—enough to secure a rare demo victory among the shows we track.

At 12:37 a.m., NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers continued its post-holiday recovery, averaging 959,000 total viewers (+10 percent) and 121,000 adults 18–49 (+11 percent). ABC’s Nightline posted more modest gains, drawing 972,000 viewers (+9 percent) and 87,000 in the demo (–1 percent).

On cable at 10:00 p.m., Fox News’ Gutfeld! remained the most-watched program among those we track, rising 12 percent to 3.29 million viewers while adding 22 percent in adults 18–49 to 235,000.

Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live also staged a major rebound, climbing 39 percent in total viewers to 436,000 and surging 64 percent in the demo to 124,000.

Complete ratings charts for the week of Jan. 25, 2026, follow below.

Note: Time period listed is the most common airtime for each show.

Live+ 3 Ratings — All Viewers (P2+)

Live+ 3 Ratings — In the Demo (P18-49)

Ratings data © The Nielsen Company, used under license.