After Jimmy Kimmel’s remarks on Charlie Kirk, ABC’s swift move shocks fans — Celebrity Family Feud takes over his slot.NH

Jimmy Kimmel Live! was replaced in the schedule on Wednesday night after the show was pulled by ABC indefinitely.

OnSept. 17, a spokesperson for Disney’s ABC confirmed that the late-night talk show would be on indefinite hiatus after host Jimmy Kimmel, 57, made comments about the death of right-wing political commentator Charlie Kirk.

Kirk, 31, was fatally shot while speaking at a campus event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.

Kimmel commented on Kirk’s death during his show on Monday, saying, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA Gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it. In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving.”

According to Variety, in a memo sent to the owners of ABC’s more than 150 affiliate station partners, they were informed that the network would air repeat episodes of Celebrity Family Feud in the 11:35 p.m. hour slot usually taken by Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Wednesday and Thursday. The memo from the affiliate board also noted that “formal guidance from Disney/ABC is forthcoming,” per the outlet. Jimmy Kimmel on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ with Wanda Sykes.

Randy Holmes/ABC via Getty

Sinclair, which is the U.S.’s largest ABC affiliate group, also announced that it will replace the time slot usually occupied by the show on Friday with a special in remembrance of Charlie Kirk on its ABC affiliate stations. It is also offering the special to all other ABC stations across the country and said the special will “air across all Sinclair stations this weekend.“

“Sinclair will not lift the suspension of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ on our stations until formal discussions are held with ABC regarding the network’s commitment to professionalism and accountability,” the company said in a press release on their website. “Sinclair also calls upon Mr. Kimmel to issue a direct apology to the Kirk family. Furthermore, we ask Mr. Kimmel to make a meaningful personal donation to the Kirk Family and Turning Point USA.” 

Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 after dropping out of Harper College near Chicago. 

Kimmel, had previously sent condolences to Kirk’s family while denouncing violence in post on Instagram on Sept. 10.

“Meanwhile, Nexstar Media, which is the largest local broadcast and digital media company in the U.S., said that it “strongly objects to recent comments made by Mr. Kimmel concerning the killing of Charlie Kirk and will replace the show with other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets.”

Nexstar recently announced plans to acquire rival broadcast company Tegna for $6.2 billion, a massive deal that would further consolidate the local television landscape and put Nexstar in 80% of America’s TV-owning households, according to a press release. The acquisition will require final approval from the Trump-controlled Federal Communications Commission.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr quickly praised Nexstar on Wednesday for putting pressure on ABC to remove Kimmel, writing on X that “it is important for broadcasters to push back on Disney programming that they determine falls short of community values.”

PEOPLE has contacted ABC for comment. Representatives for Kimmel did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Sept. 17.Steve Harvey hosting ‘Celebrity Family Feud’.

Jimmy Kimmel on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ with Wanda Sykes.

Following the news, many celebrities reacted to Kimmel’s show being pulled off air, including Ben Stiller, Sophia Bush, Don Lemon, Kathy Griffin and Wanda Sykes 

Comedian Sykes, 61, shared a video on Instagram and explained that she was due to appear on the show on Wednesday.

“Let’s see. He didn’t end the Ukraine war or solve Gaza within his first week. But he did end freedom of speech within his first year. Hey, for those of you who pray, now’s the time to do it. Love you, Jimmy,” Sykes said.

Steve Harvey hosting ‘Celebrity Family Feud’.

“This isn’t right,” Stiller, 59, added of the announcement in a post on X.