Jimmy Kimmel is taking a little break from late-night duties in Britain this year, where he's taking on one of the country's quirkier Christmas traditions, the New York Times reports. Channel 4 announced that the American comedian will deliver its "alternative Christmas message" on Dec. 25, using the slot to speak out against fascism. "From a fascism perspective, this has been a really great year," Kimmel will say, according to a network spokesman. The address will air at 5:45pm local time, a deliberate counterpoint to King Charles III's official holiday broadcast on the BBC at 3pm.
The alternative message, launched in 1993 as a satirical take on Queen Elizabeth II's yearly speech, has evolved into a mix of earnest commentary and pointed humor. Kimmel joins a notably varied list of past Channel 4 speakers, including civil rights leader Jesse Jackson in 1994, Olympian Tom Daley, actor Stephen Fry, comedian Chris McCausland, former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden—and even the cartoon character Marge Simpson, per the Guardian, and a deep-fake version of the late Elizabeth, per Axios. Channel 4 says Kimmel will offer his "personal reflections on the year," suggesting Britain's alternative to royal formality will lean American, topical, and politically pointed this time around.
Kimmel's appearance follows a turbulent fall: ABC temporarily suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! in September after he made remarks about the man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, prompting a national debate about free speech before the show returned about a week later. "Donald Trump's return to the White House and wide-ranging impact on the world has been the story of 2025 and it would be hard to think of a better person to address it than Jimmy Kimmel, who has found himself on the frontline of America's battle over free speech," says a Channel 4 spokesperson quoted by Deadline.
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