Weekly Ratings: Kimmel Posts More Gains as Colbert Visit Draws 3.6 Million

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In his second week back from summer vacation, Jimmy Kimmel kept the momentum going, with Jimmy Kimmel Live! climbing again in both total viewers and adults 18–49.

The ABC show averaged 2.581 million total viewers for the week of Sept. 13, up 19 percent week over week, and 311,000 adults 18–49, up 34 percent. That put JKL comfortably atop the 11:35 p.m. field in both measures.

The week’s biggest night for Kimmel in total viewers came Tuesday, when Stephen Colbert joined Kimmel as a guest. The episode drew 3.62 million viewers, the show’s largest audience since last spring, when an episode following NBA Finals drew 3.85 million on June 8.

Monday’s Jimmy Kimmel Live repeat, which aired while Kimmel and his staff attended the Emmy Awards, delivered a different kind of high. Airing about 20 minutes later than usual following the season’s first Monday Night Football telecast, the encore drew 441,000 adults 18–49—the largest single-night demo audience of the week among the late-night shows tracked here.

NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon aired four first-run episodes and one repeat, averaging 1.351 million total viewers, up 3 percent week over week. Its adults 18–49 audience fell 24 percent to 164,000, coming off a prior week that included an unusually large NFL-assisted Wednesday audience.

ABC’s Nightline had one of the week’s strongest showings, averaging 1.074 million total viewers across five first-run episodes, up 22 percent, and 160,000 adults 18–49, up 40 percent.

The Daily Show aired three first-run episodes after taking Monday off for the Emmys, with Josh Johnson hosting Tuesday and Wednesday and Michael Kosta behind the desk Thursday. The Comedy Central show averaged 829,000 total viewers, down 12 percent from the previous week, and 137,000 adults 18–49, down 2 percent.

Fox News’ Gutfeld! returned to a full five-night slate of first-run episodes, averaging 2.186 million total viewers and 146,000 adults 18–49, up 3 percent in both measures.

Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live averaged 308,000 total viewers across five first-run episodes, down 17 percent, and 98,000 adults 18–49, down 14 percent.

NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers remained in repeats, averaging 670,000 total viewers, down 5 percent, and 94,000 adults 18–49, down 19 percent.

CBS’ Byron Allen block was also still entirely in repeats. Across its full hour, Comics Unleashed averaged approximately 604,000 total viewers, up about 6 percent week over week, and 65,000 adults 18–49, down about 7 percent.

Funny You Should Ask averaged approximately 413,000 total viewers across its hour, up about 3 percent, and 39,000 adults 18–49, down about 16 percent.

Meyers returned with first-run episodes this week, as did the first half hours of Comics Unleashed and Funny You Should Ask. Those results will be reflected in next week’s ratings report.

A reminder that linear ratings represent only one slice of the viewing audience, with additional viewing taking place on streaming services, YouTube, and other social media platforms.

Complete Nielsen Live+3 ratings for the week of Sept. 13–19, 2026, follow below.

Live+3 Ratings — All Viewers (P2+)

Live+3 Ratings — In the Demo (P18-49)

Ratings data © The Nielsen Company, used under license.