Channel 4’s Christmas Gift to The Far Left

Image: Ch4 Press

By Jon Donnis

Channel 4's decision to hand its Alternative Christmas Message to Jimmy Kimmel says a great deal about where the broadcaster's priorities now sit. This is not a brave or thoughtful choice. It is a knowingly provocative one, built around a figure who spent part of 2025 engulfed in controversy after comments made following the murder of Charlie Kirk.

Kimmel was briefly taken off the air in September after those remarks triggered widespread protest and a fierce debate in the United States around freedom of speech and the responsibilities of the press. He directly lied about the assassination and presented claims as fact that were not supported by what was known at the time, as time as passed, it only looks worse for Kimmel, as it now clearly seems that he told a deliberate lie to protect those on the far left. The backlash was strong enough that his own network felt compelled to pull him, even temporarily. That context matters, no matter how much it is softened by the language of a "personal" and "jovial" address.

Jimmy Kimmel wearing blackface as he insulted black basketball players

Yet Channel 4's framing avoids that seriousness. Instead, it casts Kimmel as a kind of embattled truth teller, supposedly on the "frontline" of America's cultural battles. That is a generous reading of events. Being taken off air after highly contentious comments is not evidence of bravery or insight. It is evidence of poor judgement, and in this case, of a willingness to speak loosely about an ongoing and sensitive case.

There is also the question of tone. Kimmel's own quoted line, "From a fascism perspective, this has been a really great year", is presented as a knowing joke. To many viewers, it will land as smug and glib, especially given the circumstances that led to his suspension. The idea that this is the voice best suited to address the nation on Christmas Day feels less like tradition and more like provocation for its own sake.

Jimmy Kimmel in blackface again, this time as a woman

Channel 4 has a long history with the Alternative Christmas Message, and that history includes challenging and uncomfortable figures. But there is a difference between offering a platform for reflection and handing the microphone to someone whose recent notoriety stems from disputed claims and public outrage. This choice looks less like thoughtful counter programming and more like an indulgence in culture war theatre.

Christmas Day television reaches beyond the usual echo chambers. By selecting Jimmy Kimmel, Channel 4 is not merely reflecting on the year gone by. It is endorsing a particular voice, warts and all, and inviting viewers to treat recent controversy as entertainment. For a broadcaster that prides itself on seriousness and responsibility, that feels like a lapse rather than a statement.

I wonder if Ch4 has paid any attention to the trouble the BBC face right now, after spreading lies about Donald Trump in attempt to interfere in the US election. Let's hope that Ch4 seriously edit the Christmas address, or else it could find itself facing a huge lawsuit just like the BBC.