Tearful

An emotional Jimmy Kimmel has criticised “anti-American” threats to free speech during his return to late-night US television – following a brief suspension after comments he made about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

The comedian said during Tuesday’s show – his first since the controversy – that “it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man”.

Kimmel also compared Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair Brendan Carr to a mob boss, and poked fun at President Donald Trump’s appearance at the UN – including an escalator mishap.

But Tuesday’s episode was not viewable in all markets, due to resistance from many local stations affiliated with ABC.

It was, however, available on streaming service Hulu + Live TV, owned by Disney – which is also the parent of ABC.

Dozens of local TV stations in the US run by affiliates Nexstar and Sinclair said they would continue to replace Jimmy Kimmel Live! with alternate programming for now.

Carr – who leads the organisation that regulates American television – praised their decision in a post on X on Tuesday.

“We need to keep empowering local TV stations to serve their communities of license,” said Carr, a Trump appointee, who last week threatened action against Disney and ABC, the companies that produce and air Kimmel’s show.

Speaking on Tuesday’s programme, Kimmel said he had not wanted to blame any specific group for Kirk’s murder, and praised Erika Kirk for forgiving her husband’s alleged killer at a weekend memorial service.

“It was a selfless act of grace… that touched me deeply,” Kimmel said.

Kimmel was critical of Carr, who was one of the first to call for his suspension, saying that the FCC chair boss was once a free speech advocate, but flipped after Kimmel’s controversial show last week.

He also criticised Trump for calling for the axing of his fellow late-night hosts – all who are frequent critics of the president as they riff on the day’s biggest news stories.

“Our leader celebrates people losing their livelihoods because he can’t take a joke,” Kimmel said, adding that Trump openly rooting for people to lose their jobs was “un-American” and “dangerous”.

Kimmel also pretended to open a statement written for him to read aloud by Disney, before reading out the words: “How to reactivate your Disney+ subscription”. There had been calls to cancel streaming subscriptions over Kimmel’s brief suspension.

The comedian’s comeback was praised by celebrity supporters, including actor Ben Stiller, who lauded his “brilliant monologue”.

But Kimmel’s return was not universally applauded. About an hour before showtime, Trump said on his social media platform that he could not believe that ABC had reinstated the comedian, saying the White House was told the show was cancelled.

“Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his ‘talent’ was never there,” Trump wrote.

Trump also threatened to “test ABC out on this”.

Kimmel’s Tuesday night guests were Twisters and Chad Powers actor Glen Powell and musical guest Sarah McLachlan.

He was also joined by Hollywood legend and notable Trump critic Robert De Niro, who appeared in a skit in which he portrayed Carr. “Speech, it ain’t free no more,” De Niro quipped.

The comedian’s show was pulled after his 15 September monologue about the shooting of Kirk caused uproar.

He said that Trump and his allies were “desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them” and trying to “score political points from it”.

He also likened Trump’s reaction to the influencer’s murder to “how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish”.

The jokes raised the ire of Carr, who said Kimmel was “appearing to directly mislead the American public” with his comments about Kirk’s killer.

The FCC regulates radio, TV and satellite airwaves, giving it power over a range of matters, including mergers and decency complaints.

His remarks, coupled with concerns from local broadcasters that run ABC affiliates, prompted the network to “indefinitely” suspend Kimmel’s show.

The show’s suspension prompted strong backlash from lawmakers, labour unions, and free speech proponents. Celebrity campaigns and boycotts targeted Disney, ABC’s parent company.

Kimmel was also backed by his colleagues in late night, including CBS host Stephen Colbert – whose show will end in May – Jon Stewart and Seth Meyers.

Disney made its announcement on Monday that it would bring back the show after “having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy”.

Still, Nexstar, one of the biggest owners of TV stations in the US, said on Tuesday that it would continue to pre-empt Kimmel’s show “pending assurance that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve”.

The media company is currently trying to close a $6.2bn (£4.86bn) deal to acquire its rival Tegna that needs FCC approval.

Sinclair, the largest ABC affiliate group in the US, also said it would air alternate programming.

Nexstar and Sinclair together control more than 20% of ABC’s affiliated television stations, according to the New York Times.

Paris Saint-Germain’s French international forward Ousmane Dembele has been named the men’s Ballon d’Or winner for 2025, with Barcelona’s Spanish international Aitana Bonmati claiming the women’s title for the third consecutive year.

The pair were awarded the trophies, recognised as the most prestigious individual prizes in football, at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France, on Monday.

Dembele helped PSG to its first Champions League title in May, and saw off strong competition from Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal, who helped the Spanish club to the La Liga title year, immediately off the back of his starring role for Spain in their Euro 2025 triumph.

There was better news for fellow Barca forward Bonmati, however, as she became the third person, behind former French international Michel Platini and Argentina legend Lionel Messi, to claim a hat-trick of titles.

Dembele succeeded Manchester City midfielder Rodri to become the sixth Frenchman to win it after Raymond Kopa, Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin, Zinedine Zidane and Karim Benzema.

Bonmati won ahead of her Spain teammate Mariona Caldentey.

Dembele tops Yamal for club if not country

The award capped a remarkable turn of fortune for Dembele, who at one point last season was snubbed by PSG coach Luis Enrique for disciplinary reasons. But once repositioned as a No 9, he became a scoring machine and was inspirational in PSG’s historic Champions League campaign. The French club also completed a quadruple last season.

Dembele was praised after the Champions League final for the way he contributed to PSG’s pressing and his ability to defend during the 5-0 rout of Inter Milan. He delivered 35 goals and 16 assists in 53 official matches last season, and was involved in 14 goals (eight goals, six assists) in the Champions League in 15 appearances.

Dembele received the Ballon d’Or from former winner Ronaldinho and teared up during his acceptance speech, in which he asked his mother to join him on the stage.

“It’s incredible to win a trophy like this,” he said in French. “I worked for the team to help win PSG’s first Champions League. To then be rewarded with an individual trophy like the Ballon d’Or is truly exceptional.”

Barca forward Yamal, who turned 18 in July, also helped Barcelona to win the Copa del Rey last season, as well as the Spanish top flight, and to reach the Champions League semifinals. Yamal was given the Kopa award for the best under-21 player for the second straight year.

“I need to keep on working to win other awards in the future,” Yamal said through a translator.

Dembele was injured, but able to attend the ceremony in Paris, while his team lost at Marseille 1-0 in the French league. He was one of nine PSG players nominated for the men’s award, including goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, forward Desire Doue, who scored twice in the Champions League final, and winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Bonmati rises from Spain defeat to claim third straight Ballon d’Or

Although Bonmati lost to England in a penalty shootout in the Women’s European Championship final last summer, she was named the best player of the tournament, which she began just days after being hospitalised for viral meningitis.

Bonmati’s spot kick in the shootout was one of two saved by England’s Hannah Hampton, who was voted the best women’s goalkeeper.

“Third time in a row here, and I still can’t believe it,” Bonmati said. “I owe Barcelona everything. This is the club of my life.”

She won a domestic treble with Barcelona and also reached the Champions League final.

Barcelona has won the last five women’s awards, but it was expected that an Englishwoman would win for the first time. England won the Euros, and Arsenal took the Women’s Champions League. But with five England players among the women’s top 10 nominees, the highest placed was Alessia Russo at third.

Other trophies at Ballon d’Or awards

Barcelona forward Vicky Lopez won the women’s Kopa trophy, and Sarina Wiegman, who led England to European victory, took the Johan Cruyff award for best women’s coach. On a great night for PSG, Luis Enrique won in the men’s category.

PSG was voted the best men’s club, and Donnarumma received the Lev Yashin award for best goalkeeper. Donnarumma, whose shot-stopping in the knockout stages proved crucial to PSG’s success, left for Manchester City during the offseason. Hampton was crowned the best women’s goalkeeper.

The men’s and women’s Gerd Müller trophies for the top scorers went to Barcelona’s Ewa Pajor and Viktor Gyokeres, who joined Arsenal this summer from Sporting Portugal after a prolific season.

Balamory, which starred the likes of Julie Wilson Nimmo as Miss Hoolie, is set to return after the BBC announced last year that it had commissioned two new series for CBeebies

A cast member from the original Balamory has announced that they will be part of the pre-school show’s return on CBeebies. It comes after the BBC announced plans for a “reboot” of the show, which is said to be getting a “revamp”.

It was announced last year that Balamory would be revived more than 20 years since it last aired. The broadcaster said at the time that the reboot is expected to launch in 2026 with the first of two new series that it had commissioned.

The BAFTA-winning show, which launched on the BBC children’s channel in 2002, focused on the fictional island community off the coast of Scotland. It ran for four series before coming to an end two decades ago in 2005.

It included Julie Wilson Nimmo, now 53, who played Miss Hoolie, among its cast. Miss Hoolie, who acted as the narrator of each episode, was introduced as a nursery teacher and remained the lead character throughout.

Julie has now confirmed that she will be back for the new series of Balamory. She shared the news in response to a fan who asked about the prospect in the comments section of a post about the actor doing yoga on Sunday.

The fan asked in the comments section on Instagram over the weekend: “Are you going to be in Balamory reboot?” Julie, who liked the comment, addressed the prospect in a reply. She simply responded to the fan: “Yup.”

It was previously suggested by the BBC that the new series will feature characters from the original show, as well as introducing a host of new residents of Balamory. No casting details were included in the initial announcement, though.

Balamory had been filmed in the village of Tobermory. It was announced last year that the new series will either be filmed in the same location or elsewhere in Scotland, with the prospect of Rothesay mentioned at the time.

Julie returned to Tobermory at the end of her BBC Scotland show Jules and Greg’s Wild Swim, in which she toured wild swimming locations with her husband Greg Hemphill. She teased then that she felt emotional being back.

Whilst arriving into the village, she told her husband on the docuseries, which aired last year: “This is magical.” She added: “I actually feel really emotional.” Julie, who later took photos with fans, then said: “I’m pure welling up.”

Speaking about the reboot, Julie said: “It’s the craziest and best news ever that Balamory is coming back. I seriously think this is bigger than the Oasis reunion. Everyone I know loves the show and has been missing it.”

When the BBC first announced the revival last year, it said that the new series will be set in the fictional Balamory, with stories “centred around a nursery school and their teacher.” It added that it’s interested in “some” of the original characters being included alongside “a host of new faces”.

Kate Morton, Head of Commissioning 0-6 for BBC Children’s and Education, said at the time: “A whole new generation will discover and enjoy Balamory as we bring families together with this new update for CBeebies. It will be a real treat for parents who grew up with the show to now introduce their little ones to the brightly coloured world getting to know a host of old and new characters together.”

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