Stephen Colbert Announces ‘The Late Show’ Will End in May 2026
- Stephen Colbert surprised his studio audience when he revealed that The Late Show will end in May 2026.
- CBS has confirmed that there are no plans to continue The Late Show with a new host after Colbert’s departure.
- The network will be ending The Late Show in May.” The crowd responded with a mix of shock and applause as Colbert clarified the decision. “It’s not just the end of our show, but it’s the end of The Late Show on CBS,” he continued. “I’m not being replaced.
Stephen Colbert surprised his studio audience when he revealed that The Late Show will end in May 2026. He shared the announcement during a taping, explaining that he had just learned the news the night before.
“Before we start the show, I want you to know something that I found out just last night,” Colbert told the audience. “Next year will be our last season. The network will be ending The Late Show in May.”
The crowd responded with a mix of shock and applause as Colbert clarified the decision.
“It’s not just the end of our show, but it’s the end of The Late Show on CBS,” he continued. “I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away.”
Despite strong ratings, CBS is reportedly ending the long-running program for financial reasons. The Late Show continues to lead its time slot and recently averaged more than two million nightly viewers.
Colbert took time to thank his staff and crew, saying, “I am extraordinarily, deeply grateful to the 200 people who work here… And let me tell you, it is a fantastic job. I wish somebody else was getting it, and it’s a job that I’m looking forward to doing … It’s gonna be fun.”
Colbert has hosted The Late Show since 2015, when he took over following the retirement of David Letterman. Over nearly a decade, he has built a reputation for blending comedy, political commentary, and thoughtful interviews. Under his leadership, the show earned multiple awards and became a nightly destination for millions of viewers.
Industry reactions were swift. Fellow host Jimmy Kimmel posted his support on social media while criticizing CBS for the decision.
CBS has confirmed that there are no plans to continue The Late Show with a new host after Colbert’s departure. The move marks a major shift in late-night television as networks reassess their programming strategies in a changing media landscape.
Watch Stephen Colbert’s announcement here:
Stephen Colbert announcing that ‘THE LATE SHOW’ has been cancelled and will end in May. pic.twitter.com/Q4PMFuul5z
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 18, 2025
