TV Ratings: Kimmel Leads Late Night

ABC’s late-night show led the week of Oct. 4, 2026, with 2.576 million total viewers and 299,000 adults 18–49, according to Nielsen Live+3 ratings. Those figures were down 22% and 21%, respectively, from the prior week’s five original episodes filmed in Brooklyn, but still easily topped NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (1.483 million viewers, 200,000 in the demo).

The Tonight Show gained 7% in total viewers week-over-week while dropping 19% among adults 18–49. Both shows aired four original episodes and one repeat.

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On CBS, Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen delivered two of its strongest nights of the season, lifting both of its half-hours to double-digit gains in total viewers. Tuesday’s hour averaged 1 million total viewers—its largest audience since the May 22 premiere—after NCIS premieres. Friday’s hour, following the premieres of Sheriff Country, Fire Country, and Boston Blue, posted the show’s best adults 18–49 performance to date, averaging 175,000.

For the full week, the 11:35 p.m. half-hour averaged 954,000 total viewers (+15%) and 124,000 adults 18–49 (+7%). The 12:05 a.m. half-hour averaged 711,000 viewers (+14%) and 102,000 adults 18–49 (+14%). The earlier half-hour included four originals and one repeat; the later half-hour was entirely in repeats, reports LateNighter.

The rest of CBS’s Byron Allen late-night block also stayed in repeats. Funny You Should Ask averaged 588,000 total viewers (+7%) and 76,000 adults 18–49 (–11%) at 12:35 a.m., followed by 515,000 viewers (+9%) and 60,000 in the demo (–11%) at 1:05 a.m.

At 12:37 a.m., ABC’s Nightline averaged 1.016 million total viewers (–19%) and 104,000 adults 18–49 (–40%) across five original broadcasts.

NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers averaged 966,000 total viewers (–1%) and 135,000 adults 18–49 (+1%). Meyers aired four originals and one repeat, trailing Nightline slightly in total viewers while leading it in the demo.

On cable, Comedy Central’s The Daily Show averaged 889,000 total viewers (+1%) and 167,000 adults 18–49 (+6%) across four original episodes.