TORONTO – Sarah McLachlan is set to appear on Jimmy Kimmel’s first show back since the late-night comic was suspended last week.
The Halifax-born singer-songwriter is booked as a musical guest on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” for Tuesday, publicists for both the musician and her Hulu-distributed Lilith Fair documentary have confirmed.
“So happy that Jimmy Kimmel is back on the air and even happier to be performing on @JimmyKimmelLive TONIGHT,” McLachlan posted in a message on Instagram.
It’s the first episode since ABC pulled Kimmel from the airwaves over comments he made about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The decision triggered a widespread discussion about freedom of speech and President Donald Trump’s ability to police the words of journalists and comics.
In Canada, Kimmel’s show is simulcast on Citytv, which filled his empty time slot with episodes of “Hudson & Rex” and “Impractical Jokers” over the past week.
But two groups of ABC affiliates in the United States that denounced Kimmel’s comments said they would not air his return.
Nexstar Media Group said its suspension of the show continues, “pending assurances that all parties are committed to fostering an environment of respectful, constructive dialogue in the markets we serve.”
On Sunday, McLachlan cancelled music performances at the premiere of her Lilith Fair documentary in Los Angeles, saying it was a gesture of solidarity to support free speech.
While she did not directly reference the Kimmel controversy in her remarks or the documentary’s connections to Disney, which owns Hulu and ABC, she told the audience that she was concerned about the erosion of people’s rights, including “the muzzling of free speech.”
Representatives for McLachlan noted that she was already slated to appear on Kimmel’s show to promote her new record, “Better Broken,” before the host was pulled from the air.
McLachlan’s 10th studio album finds the singer reflecting on the past decade as she faced personal challenges and considered the state of the world while raising two daughters.
Her documentary “Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery,” which is available on CBC Gem in Canada, revisits the legacy of the all-female music festival and the pressure McLachlan endured in the face of criticism and threats over the event’s pro-choice abortion stance.
“It’s a perfect time to remind women that if we stand up and work together, we can create change,” she told The Canadian Press last month of the film.
“Because there’s this purposeful division happening to … keep people afraid and quiet so that the powers that be can do whatever they want.”
— with files from The Associated Press
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 23, 2025.
