By Shameeka Voyiya
CBS announced on Thursday that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will conclude its run on the network in May 2026.
The most-watched late-night show on US television will be retired after a 10-year run, with new episodes airing until the end of the current broadcast season, a network statement said.
Colbert announces cancellation
The Late Show drew an average of 2,5 million viewers during the 2024/25 season, ahead of ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! And NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
However, host Stephen Colbert broke the news to his audience on Thursday evening that the show was coming to an end.
“Yeah, I share your feeling,” he admitted as the crowd shouted ‘no!’ and booed.
“It’s not just the end of our show; it’s the end of The Late Show on CBS. I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away.
“It is a fantastic job. I wish somebody else was getting it.”
Colbert further revealed that he was informed of the show’s cancellation on Wednesday.
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‘Irreplaceable’ host thanked
Late-night shows have seen audience numbers drop due to the rise of streaming and social media content, with The Late Show seeing its audience shrink by 32% over the last five years.
“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,” CBS and Paramount executives declared in a statement.
“Our admiration, affection, and respect for the talents of Stephen Colbert and his incredible team made this agonizing decision even more difficult.
“We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire The Late Show franchise.
“We are proud that Stephen called CBS home. He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late-night television.”
The network had already cancelled another late-night show, After Midnight, in March.
The Late Show debuted in 1993 with David Letterman as the host, and Colbert took over the show in 2015 after hosting The Colbert Report on Comedy Central.
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