US talk show host Stephen Colbert has condemned the cancellation of fellow late-night star Jimmy Kimmel as a “blatant assault on freedom of speech”, as America’s top late night presenters came out fighting.

He used the opening of Thursday night’s edition of his Late Show to address the pulling of Jimmy Kimmel Live over comments made about the assassination of the right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk.

Kimmel used his show earlier this week to accuse the Trump administration and its allies of “working very hard to capitalise on the murder of Charlie Kirk”, with the president among those to pin it on left-wing extremism.

The move by Disney-owned ABC has been widely criticised, with the network accused of kowtowing to President Donald Trump, who celebrated the decision.

Also airing on Thursday night, Jon Stewart, host of Comedy Central’s Daily Show, appeared in a garish gold set, in parody of Mr Trump’s redesign of the White House, to tell viewers the episode would be “another fun, hilarious, administration-compliant show”.

Stewart, playing the role of an over-the-top, politically obsequious TV host under authoritarian rule, lavished praise on the president and satirised his criticism of US cities and his deployment of the National Guard to fight crime.

“Coming to you tonight from the real […] crime-ridden cesspool that is New York City. It is a tremendous disaster like no-one’s ever seen before. Someone’s National Guard should invade this place, am I right?” he said.

He then introduced his guest – Maria Ressa, a journalist and author of the book How To Stand Up To A Dictator.

Over at The Tonight Show, Jimmy Fallon told his audience he was “not sure what was going on” but that Kimmel is “a decent funny and loving guy and I hope he comes back”.

Fallon then promised viewers that in spite of people being “worried that we won’t keep saying what we want to say or that we will be censored”, he was going to cover the president’s recent trip to the UK “just like I normally would”.

He was then replaced by a voiceover describing Mr Trump as “incredibly handsome” and “making America great again”.

Seth Meyers also joined the fray.

“Donald Trump is on his way back from a trip to the UK,” he said at the top of his show Late Night, “while back here at home, his administration is pursuing a crackdown on free speech… and completely unrelated, I just wanted to say that I have always admired and respected Mr Trump.

“I have always believed he was a visionary, an innovator, a great president, and an even better golfer.”

Kimmel’s removal from the show he has hosted for two decades led to criticism that free speech was under attack.

But speaking on his visit to Britain, Donald Trump claimed he was suspended “because he had bad ratings”.

It came after fellow late-night host Colbert saw his programme cancelled earlier this year, which fans claimed was also down to his criticism of Mr Trump, who has since railed against Kimmel, Meyers, and Fallon.

He has posted on Truth Social that they should all be cancelled.

Figures from both the worlds of entertainment and politics lined up to lament ABC’s removal of Kimmel.

Chat show doyenne David Letterman said people should not be fired just because they don’t “suck up” to what he called “an authoritarian” president.

During an appearance at The Atlantic Festival 2025 in New York on Thursday night, he added: “It’s no good. It’s silly. It’s ridiculous.

“I feel bad about this, because we all see where see this is going, correct? It’s managed media.”

Former US president Barack Obama wrote on X: “After years of complaining about cancel culture, the current administration has taken it to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn’t like.

“This is precisely the kind of government coercion that the First Amendment was designed to prevent, and media companies need to start standing up rather than capitulating it.”

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Starmer and Trump meet at Chequers. A news conference with enormous consequences, not just for the US and UK, but for the global world order.

To match the occasion – a special mashup episode of Electoral Dysfunction and Trump100. Mark Stone is joined by Beth Rigby, Harriet Harman and Ruth Davidson.

As Team Trump leaves British soil… is Starmer better off now than he was at the start of the week?

Or is he still on the ropes?

You can also watch all episodes on our YouTube channel.

Email us on trump100@sky.uk with your comments and questions.

From a carriage procession, state banquet and the meeting of leaders, Donald Trump’s second state visit to the UK has been jam packed. 

Since touching down in London late on Tuesday, all attention has been on the US president and first lady, Melania.

With a warm welcome from Sir Keir Starmer, a lavish royal display, and protests in London against the visit, the trip yielded a mixed reception – although the US president was shielded from the ‘realities of life’ and people outside of the Windsor walls, according to Sky News’ International Affairs Editor Dominic Waghorn.

As the unprecedented visit draws to a close, here are nine things you may have missed during Mr Trump’s time in the UK.

Follow Trump state visit live

The handshake that breached royal protocol – or did it?

Greeting the King and Prince of Wales with a firm handshake – something the US president has become known for – Mr Trump also touched the monarch and second-in-line to the throne on the arm.

Mr Trump was captured again, this time putting his hand on the King’s back, while they took seats before the Red Arrows flypast.

While Buckingham Palace makes it clear that touching the King is not a breach of official protocol, it is an accepted custom not to initiate physical contact with a member of the Royal Family.

It was clear neither Charles nor William took offence to the act.

The first lady’s eye-covering hat

Keeping in line with the first lady’s past fashion choices, Melania Trump arrived in Windsor wearing a purple hat that covered her eyes from virtually every angle.

The hat was similar to one Mrs Trump wore to her husband’s inauguration in January – that time a navy and white hat which was designed by Eric Javits.

Despite the similarities, the designer of the hat for the UK state visit has yet to be publicly disclosed.

‘Watch the sword’

While inspecting a line of honour guard at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, the King playfully nudged Mr Trump on the arm, telling him to “watch the sword” as one member of the King’s Guard shifted position, swinging the blade near the US leader.

The moment was captured by Sky News’ royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills.

The president’s joke

During the state banquet in Windsor Castle’s St George’s Hall, both the King and Mr Trump made speeches.

Hailing the state visit as “one of the highest honours of my life” Mr Trump also made a joke, saying he hopes he is the last US president to be given an unprecedented second state visit.

“This was the second state visit, and that’s the first, and maybe that’s going to be the last time, I hope it is actually,” he said to muffled laughter in the room.

Queen Nixon?

In his own remarks at the state banquet, the King paid reference to some of the biggest issues of the day, referencing trade, Ukraine, and environmentalism.

But he also recalled a story about another US president – who he claimed tried to set the then-Prince of Wales up with his daughter in the 1970s.

After the King about how “I cannot help but wonder what our forebears from 1776 would make of this friendship today,” he talked up the special relationship between the US and UK, saying: “Throughout my life… I have cherished the close ties between the British and American people.

“In fact, had the media succeeded in the 1970s in their own attempt at deepening the special relationship, I myself might have been married off within the Nixon family!”

Teetotal Trump

Mr Trump is famously teetotal, having told Fox News after winning the presidential election for the first time that he has “never had a drink”. And it appears during the state banquet the president stuck to water.

In pictures showing guests raising a glass, the contents of Mr Trump’s is noticeably different to those around him.

It remains unknown if a non-alcoholic version of the banquet’s special cocktail – a Transatlantic Whisky Sour – was made for the US leader.

Beekeeper Kate

When the Princess of Wales and the first lady joined a group of Scouts in the grounds of Frogmore Cottage, the youngsters were given honey sandwiches, which were made by bees kept by Kate at Anmer Hall, her Norfolk home.

Keeping on theme, Melania also brought a jar of White House honey for each of the children.

The Queen is also a keen apiarist (someone who looks after beehives) – and she keeps bees at Raymill, her retreat in Wiltshire.

Arrest (and release) over Epstein projections

As Mr Trump flew into the UK, projections of him and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein were projected on to Windsor Castle.

The huge pictures were beamed from a nearby hotel, and the nine-minute film included several pictures showing the US president with Epstein.

A 60-year-old from East Sussex, a 37-year-old from Kent, a 36-year-old from London, and a 50-year-old also from London were detained over the incident on Tuesday night. All four were then released on bail on Thursday.

Thames Valley Police said the men had been bailed until 12 December while they investigate “possible offences including malicious communications and public nuisance”.

Read more from Sky News:
Trump historic state visit – second day in pictures
‘Putin has really let me down’, says US president

‘What is your answer to that?’

The final question in a joint press conference between Mr Trump and Sir Keir came from Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby, who asked the two leaders about the recently sacked UK ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson.

But Mr Trump quickly moved the answer to Sir Keir.

“I don’t know him, actually. I had heard that, and I think maybe the prime minister would be better speaking of that, it was a choice that he made,” he said before turning to Sir Keir.

“What is your answer to that?”

Starmer answered: “Some information came to light last week, which wasn’t available when he was appointed.

“And I made a decision.”

Lord Mandelson was fired last Thursday after it emerged that he had continued his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein after his first conviction in 2008, having encouraged him to fight for early release.