Kimmel has been booked by Channel 4 to deliver its annual Alternative Christmas Message, which airs on Christmas Day shortly after King Charles III addresses the nation.
While Channel 4 has not released the full text of Kimmel’s speech, the comedian is expected to reflect on what he describes as a “really great year” for fascism, and to weigh in on the state of free speech. One line he is expected to deliver reads: “From a fascism perspective, this has been a really great year.”
The speech will also touch on Kimmel’s own recent controversy in the US. Earlier this year, ABC briefly suspended him following clumsy remarks he made after the death of Charlie Kirk. Kimmel later apologised, but the incident sparked backlash in the US and beyond. Critics argued that threats from Federal Communications Commission boss Brendan Carr to punish ABC amounted to an effort to intimidate Trump’s critics.
A Channel 4 insider said Kimmel’s message will strike a warm and humorous tone, but with a serious point underneath. In a statement, a Channel 4 spokesperson said Trump’s return to the White House and its global consequences have defined 2025, adding that Kimmel was “hard to beat” as a voice on the front line of America’s free speech battles.
First broadcast in 1993, Channel 4’s Alternative Christmas Message was created as a counterpoint to the monarch’s annual address. Over the years, it has featured unexpected and provocative voices, including Stephen Fry, Danny Dyer, and even a deepfake of Queen Elizabeth II.
With Kimmel now taking the stage, viewers can expect a mix of jokes, reflection and political bite — a Christmas message designed as much to challenge as to entertain.
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