THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT to End in 2026 as CBS Retires Iconic Late-Night Franchise
CBS has confirmed a major shift in late-night television and its been announced that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end in May 2026.
“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert will end its historic run in May 2026 at the end of the broadcast season,” CBS executives said in a joint statement. “We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire The Late Show franchise at that time. 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 statement was issued by George Cheeks, Co-CEO of Paramount Global and President and CEO of CBS; Amy Reisenbach, President of CBS Entertainment; and David Stapf, President of CBS Studios.
Colbert broke the news during Tuesday’s taping, telling the audience, “I’m not being replaced, this is all just going away.”
According to CBS, the decision was “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night” and “is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”
The move coincides with Colbert’s contract ending in late 2026, but the timing has raised eyebrows. Just days ago, Colbert called Paramount Global’s $16 million settlement of Donald Trump’s lawsuit a “big fat bribe.”
Even tonight’s guest, Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA), hinted at controversy, tweeting: “Just finished taping with Stephen Colbert who announced his show was cancelled. If Paramount and CBS ended The Late Show for political reasons, the public deserves to know. And deserves better.”
CBS maintains that politics had nothing to do with it, but speculation will no doubt spread, especially with Skydance currently working to acquire Paramount.
As for what’s next for Colbert, maybe he will reunite with Jon Stewart over at The Daily Show. Stewart recently extended his run on the Comedy Central staple through 2025. While nothing is confirmed, fans are already speculating about the possibility.
This decision comes as the late-night landscape continues to shrink. CBS recently canceled After Midnight rather than replace host Taylor Tomlinson, and audiences have been steadily declining across the board.
The Late Show launched in 1993 with David Letterman after his legendary move from NBC. Letterman hosted until 2015, when Colbert, fresh off his success on The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, took the chair. His tenure was marked by sharp political commentary and standout interviews that made headlines worldwide.
When the final episode airs in May 2026, it won’t just mark the end of Colbert’s era, it will close the curtain on a late-night institution that entertained audiences for more than three decades.