Stephen Colbert announced during the taping of Thursday night’s show that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is ending in May 2026.
Colbert said, in part, “Before we start the show, I want to let you know something I found out just last night. Next year will be our last season. The network will be ending ‘The Late Show’ in May.”
Newsweek reached out to CBS by email after normal business hours on Thursday evening for comment.
Why It Matters
The Late Show has existed in some form since 1993 when David Letterman first sat behind the desk and started cracking wise with celebrities in the Ed Sullivan Theater.
After Letterman left the role in 2015, CBS tapped Stephen Colbert – then the host of his own political comedy talk show The Colbert Report on Comedy Central – to carry on the franchise.
The Late Show has remained the highest-rated American late-night talk show for several years prior to 2023, according to a Deadline report, but CBS announced it would not create a new show to replace Taylor Tomlinson’s After Midnight after the comedienne announced her departure after just two seasons, creating uncertainty about the late night landscape for the TV titan.
What To Know
In a video statement posted to social media on Thursday evening, Colbert said: “It’s not just the end of our show, it’s the end of ‘The Late Show’ on CBS.”
“I’m not being replaced,” Colbert said. “This is all just going away. And I do want to say that the folks at CBS have been great partners. I’m so grateful to the Tiffany Network for giving me this chair and this beautiful theater to call home. And of course I’m grateful to you, the audience, who have joined us every night.”
Colbert made the announcement during the taping of Thursday’s program.
In a statement obtained by Reuters, Paramount executives wrote: “This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”
Paramount, which owns CBS, is currently seeking a merger with Skydance Media, and the company agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump over an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris with CBS news program 60 Minutes.
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
Update 7/17/25, at 8:18 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
The post Stephen Colbert Reacts to ‘The Late Show’ Franchise Ending appeared first on Newsweek.
