Who is giving Channel 4's Alternative Christmas Message? US chat show host Jimmy Kimmel to deliver 2025's address

US chat show host Jimmy Kimmel has been chosen to make the address, which has become a seasonal tradition, and he has said it has been a “great year” from “a fascism perspective”.

The late-night presenter was taken off the air and suspended indefinitely in September following comments he made on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! after the murder of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, an ally of US President Donald Trump.

Mr Trump later suggested that if any TV networks only give him bad press “maybe their licence should be taken away”.

Kimmel said that the right-wing in America was trying to politicise the murder, and also mocked Trump’s behaviour afterwards when, having been asked how he was “holding up” after the killing of his ally, the president responded by saying “very good” and then immediately pointed out building work on the new White House ballroom.

Kimmel said at the time: “This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he calls a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish.”

The suspension was met with criticism from the public, some of Hollywood’s biggest stars and political figures towards the US administration for infringing on their freedom of speech and free press, leading to Kimmel’s return five days later.

In his speech, an alternative to the monarch’s annual televised address, the comedian will begin by saying: “From a fascism perspective, this has been a really great year.”

Kimmel will continue by reflecting on the events of the past year, sharing his own personal experiences and insights after being at the centre of one of the stories that shocked the US and its foundational democratic values.

A Channel 4 spokesperson said: “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 front line of America’s battle over free speech.”

The channel’s annual broadcast, which first aired in 1993, aims to bring viewers a message about that year’s events.

Kimmel’s address follows on from previous messages delivered by a wide range of presenters, including comedian Chris McCausland who addressed ableism last year after becoming the first blind person to win Strictly Come Dancing.

Other presenters have included former president of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, actor and TV presenter Sir Stephen Fry, whistleblower Edward Snowden, former speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow, and actor Danny Dyer.

The Alternative Christmas Message will air on Channel 4 at 5.45pm on Christmas Day.