Extract from ABC News
Jimmy Kimmel supporters make their point outside the taping of his show in Los Angeles. (AP: Jae C Hong)
Jimmy Kimmel's fellow late-night stars have accused the Trump administration of overriding free speech following the indefinite axing of the host, as parent company Disney faces growing protests.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs on American network ABC owned by Disney.
It came as the closed-door frenzy following Kimmel's comments about MAGA ally Charlie Kirk was revealed.
Kimmel suggested during a monologue earlier this week that Kirk's alleged killer may have been a pro-Trump Republican.
A furore following his monologue reached fever pitch on Wednesday local time and included death threats that raised concerns for the safety of Kimmel and his staff, a source told Reuters.
Kimmel had reportedly prepared to make a statement, but he and Disney representatives could not find language they agreed would not further inflame the situation, the source added.
As the show's 4:30pm taping time approached, Disney CEO Bob Iger and Disney Entertainment co-Chairman Dana Walden agreed that the best approach would be to take the show off the air and later find a way to bring Kimmel back.
A representative for Kimmel did not respond to Reuters' request for comment.
Executives will meet with Kimmel to discuss the future of his program, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing three people with knowledge of the matter.
The removal of the show has outraged many viewers who see the move as bowing to the political pressure of the Trump administration.
US President Donald Trump, during a state visit to Britain on Thursday, said Kimmel had been punished for saying "a horrible thing" about Kirk.
As Mr Trump made his way back to the US, Kimmel's friends and fellow late-night hosts wasted no time in condemning the decision — going as far as insinuating the nation was in the midst of a dictatorship.
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