South Park co-creator Matt Stone has shut down rumors that the show’s latest episode was delayed due to censorship.
South Park is in the middle of its 27th season, its first new run of episodes in two years, and has already made headlines for sharp satire targeting political figures and pop culture icons. The long-running animated series continues to draw attention for the way it tackles current events week by week.
When the latest episode, Episode 5, was unexpectedly pushed back, fans immediately speculated about the delay. Social media posts suggested that the delay might have been linked to sensitive news stories or outside interference from the network, with some pointing to the recent death of Charlie Kirk as a possible factor.
“No one censored us… we just didn’t get it done.”
Co-creator Matt Stone has since clarified that there was no censorship involved. Speaking to The Denver Post, he explained that the delay came down to production timing, not outside pressure. “No one pulled the episode, no one censored us, and you know we’d say so if true. We just didn’t get it done,” Stone said, adding that the show’s famously last-minute creative process sometimes results in missed deadlines.
South Park’s production cycle has long been known for its rapid turnaround, documented in the behind-the-scenes film 6 Days to Air. Episode 5 is now scheduled to premiere on September 24.
This clarification comes days after the Jimmy Kimmel show was taken off air indefinitely for remarks Kimmel made regarding current events. South Park fans feared the delay meant their favorite satirical comedy show was at risk of meeting the same fate.