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Stephen Colbert will be the talk show's last host.
July 17, 2025
In a surprise move, CBS announced today that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will be ending in 2026. And with it, the 'Late Show' franchise is also being retired, ending the network's decades-long history of late night programming that began in 1993. Colbert informed his viewers of the move during Thursday night's broadcast.
"The Late Show With Stephen Colbert will end its historic run in May 2026 at the end of the broadcast season," said CBS executives in a 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. 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."
While Colbert's current contract does end at the end of 2026, the timing of the cancellation does raise questions. It comes days after Colbert criticized Paramount Global's decision to settle a lawsuit by President Donald Trump for $16 million, with him calling it a "big fat bribe." There has also been recent speculation that Skydance Media, which is acquiring Paramount Global, may not agree with Colbert's views on the current political climate.
On the other hand, CBS has already been cutting back its late night programming. 'After Midnight' was recently cancelled after host Taylor Tomlinson decided to leave the show. The late night business in general has also been on the decline in recent years.
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Comments (79)
07/19/25 at 00:28am
Late night died when Craig Ferguson left after getting screwed out of being Letterman's replacement. Craig was the last great late night host, and he did it with very little politics as part of his show.
Colbert's firing wasn't about politics or the lawsuit, though. When your show is getting spanked by a cable news comedy hour, your time was coming up quickly. And Sundance wasn't going to pay Colbert's over-inflated check when the merger is done.
I suspect Kimmel will be out when his contract is up next year because his ratings are even worse, and Disney can't afford to take many more losses right now.
Colbert's firing wasn't about politics or the lawsuit, though. When your show is getting spanked by a cable news comedy hour, your time was coming up quickly. And Sundance wasn't going to pay Colbert's over-inflated check when the merger is done.
I suspect Kimmel will be out when his contract is up next year because his ratings are even worse, and Disney can't afford to take many more losses right now.
07/18/25 at 11:50pm
As far as the President taking over the media - oh puhleeese. The Democrats have had them in their pocket for years. Stephen Colbert was not funny, in my book, on this show. David Letterman WAS funny! But then Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel are not funny either - they used to be until they followed their Dem leaders and took to continually attacking Mr. President. “Tonight” with Jay Leno was great, but after he left it went more and more downhill. But Colbert is the worst - so much hate, venom and it was made very personal. So glad he got canned; now we wait for the other two to follow him! All three have completely lost middle America.
07/18/25 at 08:31pm
The Partisan stuff is annoying to listen too - no need for it really, it isn't funny and quite repetitive. I just fast forwarded thru the monolog... straight to the guests and maybe the Colbert Questionnaire. I can't help but feel if he wasn't SO political, he would have had higher ratings.
07/18/25 at 04:47pm
Colbert is a goof. The show costs $100M to produce a year and brings in only 60% of that figure.
Colbert is toxic. He is not funny. Glad his show is cancelled.
Late night used to be funny a long time ago. It was not about the same subject over and over and over again - politics and the people they hate.
I hope this a trend for late night talk shows.
Colbert is toxic. He is not funny. Glad his show is cancelled.
Late night used to be funny a long time ago. It was not about the same subject over and over and over again - politics and the people they hate.
I hope this a trend for late night talk shows.
07/18/25 at 03:25pm
I think his criticism pissed them off. It was not part of the Epstein pal Trump's lawsuit to fire him . But you piss your boss off you get fired.
07/18/25 at 12:40pm
So fake news qbs cows down to their god cadet bonespurs.
Well I am glad to be banning them from my freedom loving blue state for good.
Well I am glad to be banning them from my freedom loving blue state for good.
07/18/25 at 11:14am
Love it or hate it, it's not related to the 16 million dollar fine/agreement/bribe to Trump, whatever you think that is. 16 million is a big number to us normal folks, but Paramount netted almost ten billion dollars last year, so to put that in perspective, it's like making 50k after taxes and being fined $100. It sucks, but it's a drop in the bucket. Colbert was better on CC, iMO, but he wasn't unfunny here. The landscape is changing drastically with streaming, and this is just an early sign for late night in general.
07/18/25 at 09:10am
This is obviously not because of the court case. They could have fought it and used it as publicity. Just look at the comments. He was too political for a late night talk show, which was a dying industry. They canceled the other show. This one wasn’t long for this world after that. With podcast having longer format interviews, and non-linear content making a near limitless availability of content, not enough people really want to watch a 7 minute polished promotion of whatever overhyped work a celebrity has. Late night is past its prime.
07/18/25 at 08:37am
@Big Pop you need to turn off cable news. The sky is not falling.
07/18/25 at 08:35am
Late night television used to be funny. It has evolved into partisan garbage. They destroyed themselves.
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