Entertainment
CBS Pulls Plug on ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’
By Jake Beardslee · July 18, 2025
After more than a decade on the air, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will come to an end in May 2026, CBS announced Thursday. The decision marks not only the departure of Colbert but also the retirement of the long-standing Late Show franchise itself.
According to a statement from CBS, the move is “purely a financial decision” and unrelated to the show’s performance. “We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire ‘THE LATE SHOW’ franchise at that time,” the network said. “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.”
Colbert broke the news directly to his audience during Thursday afternoon’s taping. “Before we start the show, I want to let you know something I found out just last night,” he said. “Next year will be our last season. The network will be ending The Late Show in May.” Audience members responded with audible boos, to which Colbert replied, “Yeah, I share your feelings.”
He clarified that the show wasn’t being handed off to a new host: “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.”
Despite the news, Colbert struck a gracious tone. “I do want to say that the folks at CBS have been great partners,” he said. “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 took over The Late Show in 2015, succeeding David Letterman. Over the years, he became a prominent voice in late-night television, known for his sharp political commentary and deep interviews.
CBS’s decision reflects broader industry challenges, particularly amid shifting economics and viewer habits in late-night programming. Still, the end of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert represents the conclusion of an era—one that reshaped the tone and reach of political comedy on network television.