Jimmy Kimmel to Present Channel 4's Alternative Christmas Message for 2025
Jimmy Kimmel will present Channel 4's alternative Christmas message for 2025, scheduled to air on Christmas Day at 5:45 pm, less than two hours after the king's Christmas message.
Kimmel's message will compare the first year of Donald Trump's second administration to the rise of fascism and warn that press freedoms can be suppressed. He will urge UK viewers to defend free speech.
Kimmel's late-night show was briefly suspended in September after he accused Trump's political movement of exploiting the killing of Charlie Kirk. The suspension followed White House pressure on ABC and Disney but was later lifted following public protest.
A Channel 4 insider stated that Kimmel's reinstatement was due to people speaking out and protesting. On his show last week, Kimmel thanked viewers and emphasized the importance of dissent against the Trump administration.
Channel 4's alternative Christmas speeches have a history spanning more than 30 years, with previous speakers including Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Edward Snowden, Marge Simpson, and Quentin Crisp.
A Channel 4 spokesperson described the 2025 message as timely, given Donald Trump's return to the White House and its global impact, noting there would be no better person than Kimmel to address it.
This article was written by Matthew Weaver and published on 21 December 2025.
