Jimmy Kimmel has described the past year as "a near death experience"

In the winners room following his victory, Kimmel told the press: "It was almost a near-death experience for me.

"Of course, not literally, but I did feel a little bit like Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn watching their own funeral, when all this stuff happened."

While Jimmy Kimmel Live! has since returned to the air, the chat show host has continued to face a barrage of attacks from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has consistently called for the programme to be cancelled.

Reflecting on his Critics Choice Award win, Kimmel said: "To be here and to see that people reacted to it in not just a positive way, but in almost a desperate way, we're like, 'Oh boy, when they come after the comedians, this is when we draw the line.'

"We're very grateful that they drew the line at us."

In his acceptance speech, Kimmel joked his fellow nominees - The Daily Show, Hot Ones, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen - "did not care enough" to attend the Critics Choice Awards, but also paid a heartfelt tribute to his team for supporting him during the chat show's suspension.

He said: "Thank you to all the writers and actors and producers and union members, many of you who are in this room, who supported us, who really stepped forward for us, and reminded us that we do not take free speech for granted in this city or this country."

In a jab at the president, Kimmel also thanked Trump for allowing him to take home the award.

He said: "Most of all, I wanna thank our president, Donald Jennifer Trump, without whom we would be going home empty-handed tonight.

"So thank you, Mr. President, for all the many ridiculous things you do each and every day. It's been a banner couple of weeks, and we can't wait to get back on the air tomorrow night to talk about them."