Stephen Colbert Announces ‘The Late Show’ Will End in 2026 originally appeared on Parade.
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert is officially coming to an end.
Colbert announced during the show’s taping on Thursday, July 17 that the long-running late night show will end in May 2026 after the 2025-26 TV season.
In a statement, CBS executives George Cheeks, Amy Reisenbach and David Stafp said, “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.”
“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,” the statement continued.
“Our admiration, affection, and respect for the talents of Stephen Colbert and his incredible team made this agonizing decision even more difficult. Stephen has taken CBS late night by storm with cutting-edge comedy, a must-watch monologue and interviews with leaders in entertainment, politics, news and newsmakers across all areas. The show has been #1 in late night for nine straight seasons; Stephen’s comedy resonates daily across digital and social media; and the broadcast is a staple of the nation’s zeitgeist,” the statement ended. “The accomplishments of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert are memorable and significant in performance, quality and stature. With much gratitude, we look forward to honoring Stephen and celebrating the show over the next 10 months alongside its millions of fans and viewers.”
During the taping, Colbert thanked CBS for being “great partners” and for giving him the chair.
“I’m not being replaced, this is all just going away,” he added.
Colbert also posted the announcement on his Instagram account. In the clip, the late night host claims he did not find out about the show’s cancellation until the night before the taping. After the audience booed at the news, Colbert said he was “grateful” to the viewers who have joined him every night for nearly a decade.
Colbert also thanked his band and the 200 crew members that have worked alongside him. “We get to do this show for each other everyday all day,” he said, adding that he wishes “somebody else” would get it after his departure.
Stephen Colbert Announces ‘The Late Show’ Will End in 2026 first appeared on Parade on Jul 17, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
