CBS is ending ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ next year

CBS is ending ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ next year

1. What’s happening
CBS announced on July 17, 2025, that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert—and the entire Late Show franchise—will conclude in May 2026, at the end of Colbert’s 11th season. The final episode will air during the 2025–2026 broadcast cycle .

Stephen Colbert, who took over hosting from David Letterman in 2015, broke the news live at the Ed Sullivan Theater. He told a stunned studio audience (who responded with boos) that he had only learned of the cancellation “just last night.” He clarified: “I’m not being replaced — this is all just going away,” underscoring that CBS is retiring the entire Late Show brand, not simply changing hosts .

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2. The official rationale
CBS and parent company Paramount consistently framed the decision as a “purely financial one, tied to broader challenges in late-night television.” They stressed it wasn’t due to content, ratings, or politics .

In detailed statements to outlets like People and CBS News, CBS emphasized the network’s deep respect for Colbert, noting the show had been #1 in late-night for nine consecutive seasons, making the financial rationale “agonizing” .

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3. Ratings & performance
Despite CBS’s claims, the show was performing strongly. According to Nielsen, it attracted ~2.417 million average viewers across 41 episodes, and was notably the only major U.S. late-night show to gain viewers in 2025 .

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4. Political context and controversy
The cancellation occurs in a charged political moment. Just days earlier, Paramount settled a lawsuit with former President Donald Trump for $16 million, following allegations that 60 Minutes had deceptively edited an interview with Kamala Harris. Colbert publicly mocked the settlement on-air, calling it a **“big fat bribe”** .

CBS asserts the decision was not political, but critics, including Senators Adam Schiff and Elizabeth Warren, have demanded transparency, questioning whether the move was in response to Colbert’s frequent critiques of Trump . Schiff remarked, “If Paramount and CBS ended the Late Show for political reasons, the public deserves to know,” and Warren echoed that sentiment .

Trump was quick to celebrate the show’s end, labeling Colbert a “loser” on Truth Social, even joking that “Jimmy Kimmel is next” .

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5. Industry & creative reaction
The cancellation sent shockwaves across the entertainment world. Comedian Jimmy Kimmel posted a blunt Instagram response: “Love you Stephen… F‑‑‑ you CBS.” He expressed solidarity despite being a late-night rival . Other figures—like Jon Stewart, Judd Apatow, and Jon Batiste—praised Colbert and lamented the loss of a late-night institution .

Industry analysts say it’s emblematic of a broader crisis: declining ad revenues in traditional TV, and viewership shifts toward digital, which late-night formats struggle to monetize .

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6. What’s next?
After Colbert’s departure, CBS will have no flagship late-night talk show. Already, lower-cost programming like reruns and panel shows have replaced others in their lineup. The network may pivot to streaming, specials, or cheaper magazine formats instead of nightly talk shows .

As for Colbert, his contract runs through May 2026, and there is intense speculation about his next move—whether in streaming, politics, or writing. CBS will celebrate the show’s legacy over the next 10 months and air final episodes in early 2026 .

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In summary, CBS is ending The Late Show with Stephen Colbert not due to declining quality or low ratings, but as a strategic financial decision in a shifting media landscape. However, the timing—right after Colbert called out a major network-parent political settlement—has sparked deep controversy, drawing criticism from public figures and fueling broader debates about late-night’s future and corporate influence in news and politics.

Let me know if you’d like a breakdown of specific episodes, guest highlights, or predictions for what comes next.