Stephen Colbert announces 'Late Show' end
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CBS is axing “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” in May 2026. The announcement on live air Thursday came two days after Colbert spoke out against CBS Global settling with President Donald
Stephen Colbert announced at the Thursday evening taping of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” that his show would be canceled at the end of the season.
Yes, CBS is canceling The Late Show franchise after more than three decades on the air. Stephen took over the show in 2015, and it was originally hosted by David Letterman. The Late Show will end in May 2026, CBS executives announced on July 17, 2025.
CBS said it is canceling “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” at the end of the upcoming television season in May, a casualty of industry changes that have dealt a crippling blow to advertising revenue.
The announcement came days after Colbert spoke out against the $16 million settlement paid by CBS News parent Paramount to settle a lawsuit filed by Donald Trump.
Colbert confirmed the cancellation during a show taping on Thursday. CBS said the move was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night."