The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,as well asThe Late Showbrand, will end in 2026. The program, first hosted by David Letterman and began in 1993, will wrap up its broadcast in May 2026 after a three-decade run on CBS.
Colbert, who has hosted the show since 2015, announced the news on the show, with the clip posted onThe Late Show’s official YouTube account. He reveals that“I’m not being replaced, this is all just going away," andCBS has attributed the end of the program to financial cuts.
What The End Of The Late Show Means For Late Night Television
Colbert’s Exit Means A Major Shake Up For Late Night
The Late Show, CBS' late-night program, was created in 1993 during the disastrous exit of David Letterman in the midst of Johnny Carson’s retirement fromThe Tonight Show. For the next 20 years, Letterman and Jay Leno battled for late-night supremacy, until Letterman’s retirement saw Stephen Colbert step into the seat. CBS and Paramount Global released this statement with the announcement:
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert will end its historic run in May 2026 at the end of the broadcast season. 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.
Late-night television and its hosts have been working to find their place in an ever-changing late-night landscape, struggling in the 2020s as digital media takes a more firm hold on the populace. It’s worth noting, however, thatThe Late Showhas led the ratings for CBS throughout 2025.
Our Take On The End Of The Late Show
Colbert Has Solidified His Legacy In The Late Show
With the end ofThe Late Showjust ten months away,Stephen Colbert became the first major loss in the late-night landscape. Whether it is a strictly financial move, or part of a larger restructure with the upcoming Paramount Global sale to Skydance on July 7, the end ofThe Late Showis a shocking move to many who never thought the brand would end.The sale of Paramount Global has also brought rumors regarding the end ofThe Daily Show, Colbert’s former program and hosted byThe Late Showproducer Jon Stewart.
It’s unclear what’s next for Colbert, a staple on the late-night scene since he joinedThe Daily Showin 1997. The era of Late Night Dominance seems officially over with the news of the end ofThe Late Show, but it’s hard to imagine Stephen Colbert down for long, especially when Netflix or Peacock could be knocking at his door shortly.
