New York, USA — Veteran late-night host Stephen Colbert has announced that the final episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will air on May 21, 2026, marking the end of the long-running late-night franchise on CBS. The announcement was made on Monday during a taping of NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers.
Colbert, 61, has hosted the show since 2015, succeeding David Letterman, whose version of the program debuted in 1993. The series has been a staple of American late-night television for over a decade, consistently ranking high in viewership and cultural influence.
CBS initially disclosed in July 2025 that the show would conclude at the end of the 2025–26 broadcast season but had not specified an exact date until now. Network executives described the decision to end The Late Show as financial, saying it was not directly tied to ratings or editorial content.
The cancellation came amid industry speculation following CBS’s parent company, Paramount Global, striking a $16 million settlement with former U.S. President Donald Trump over an edited 60 Minutes segment, and its pending $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. Some observers and critics have linked the timing of the show’s end to these corporate developments, though CBS maintains the choice was purely economic.
Colbert has been an outspoken critic of Trump and has occasionally used his platform to satirize political developments. In recent appearances, he has reflected on the end of the show, saying the announcement is beginning to “feel real” and expressing gratitude for his production team and audience.
Despite ending his CBS tenure, Colbert is expected to remain active in media and entertainment. The final season of The Late Show will air through May, with Colbert set to wrap up his tenure on a Thursday night broadcast.
Originally Published By: The Guardian, The Hollywood Reporter and People.com
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