Jimmy Kimmel skewers Trump, tells UK viewers ‘tyranny is on the rise’ in US

Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel took aim at President Trump as he warned of the rise of fascism on Thursday in a speech to British viewers dubbed “The Alternative Christmas Message.”

The message, broadcast on Channel 4 on Christmas Day, reflected the impact of Mr Trump’s second term, who Kimmel said acted as if he were a king.

“From the point of view of fascism, it’s been a very good year,” he said. “Tyranny is on the rise here.”

The channel began broadcasting an alternative Christmas message in 1993, as a counterpart to the Christmas message. Annual televised speech by the British monarch to the nation. Channel 4 said the message is often a personal and thought-provoking reflection relating to the events of the year.

The comedian has skewered Mr. Trump since returning to the air after ABC’s suspension “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in September following criticism of comments made by the host on the murder of a conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Kimmel made the remarks in reference to the reaction to Kirk’s shootingsuggesting that many Trump supporters were trying to capitalize on the death.

Mr. Trump celebrated the suspension of the late-night comic veteran and his frequent critics, calling it “good news for America.” He also called for the firing of other late-night hosts.

The incident, one of several disputes and legal battles Mr. Trump has waged with the media, has sparked widespread concerns about free speech and freedom of the press.

Hundreds of top Hollywood stars and others in the entertainment industry urged Americans to “fight to defend and preserve our constitutionally protected rights.” The show returned to the air less than a week later.

Kimmel told the British public that a Christmas miracle happened in September when millions of people – some of whom hated his show – spoke out in favor of free speech.

“We won, the president lost, and now I’m back on the air every night giving the most powerful politician in the world a fair and well-deserved crap,” he said.

Channel 4 previously invited whistleblower Edward Snowden and former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to deliver the alternative Christmas message.

Kimmel, who said he did not expect Britons to know who he was, warned that silencing critics is not something that only happens in Russia or North Korea.

Despite the split that led to the American Revolution 250 years ago, he said the two nations still shared a special relationship and urged the UK not to abandon the US as it was “going through a bit of a wobble at the moment”.

“Here in the United States, right now, we are both figuratively and literally tearing down the structures of our democracy, from the free press to science to medicine to judicial independence to the White House itself,” Kimmel said, referring to the demolition of the east wing of the building. “We’re in a real disaster, and we know it’s affecting you too, and I just wanted to apologize.”