Photos: Randy Holmes/Disney, Scott Kowalchyk/CBS

First on LateNighter: Jimmy Kimmel topped Stephen Colbert in the ratings Tuesday when the two late-night hosts swapped guest chairs on each other’s shows, with both appearances airing at same time.

According to Nielsen live-plus-same-day data, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! averaged 2.51 million total viewers with a 9.46 share, while CBS’s Late Show With Stephen Colbert drew 1.98 million viewers with a 7.51 share. In adults 18-49, Kimmel also led with 269,000 viewers (5.19 share) against Colbert’s 175,000 (3.39 share). (These numbers will grow in the coming days as delayed viewing data comes in.)

It was a similar story onYouTube. By Friday afternoon, Colbert’s guest appearance on Kimmel had drawn 3.72 million views, compared with 2.89 million for the first segment of Kimmel’s interview on The Late Show.

The crossover originated in Brooklyn, where Kimmel is taping his show this week at the Howard Gilman Opera House. Colbert appeared as his main guest, while Seth Meyers also dropped in for a cameo. After the taping, Kimmel traveled to the Ed Sullivan Theater to join Colbert’s show as a guest.

During his appearance on Kimmel’s show, Colbert described how he learned of his cancellation and how he shared the news with his staff, while Kimmel shared his own minute-by-minute account of what went down the day of his suspension on Colbert’s show.

Kimmel’s Tuesday win continues a recent trend: since returning to his show a week ago Tuesday, Kimmel has maintained a ratings lead over Colbert.

Full ratings charts for Tuesday, September 30, 2025, follow below:

Live+SD Ratings – All Viewers (P2+)

Avg Share
(%)
Avg Viewers
(000s)
Vs
Wk Ago

10:00 PM

Gutfeld! (FNC)

7.44
3,380
+8%

Watch What Happens Live (BRAVO)
Aired at 9:00 PM this day
0.38
193
-25%

11:00 PM

The Daily Show (COM)

1.47
493
-8%

11:35 PM

Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC)

9.46
2,506
-61%

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)

7.51
1,977
+13%

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC)

3.45
896
-12%

12:37 AM

Nightline (ABC)

5.55
1,012
-45%

Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)

4.19
715
-11%

† = airs at 7pm PT, * = 30-minute program

Live+SD Ratings – In the Demo (P18-49)

Avg Share
(%)
Avg Viewers
(000s)
Vs
Wk Ago

10:00 PM

Gutfeld! (FNC)

3.71
324
+34%

Watch What Happens Live (BRAVO)
Aired at 9:00 PM this day
0.53
54
-49%

11:00 PM

The Daily Show (COM)

2.85
179
+19%

11:35 PM

Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC)

5.19
269
-78%

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)

3.39
175
+11%

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC)

1.78
91
-19%

12:37 AM

Nightline (ABC)

2.92
110
-66%

Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)

2.21
78
0%

† = airs at 7pm PT, * = 30-minute program
Ratings data © The Nielsen Company, used under license.