When Will The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’s Final Episode Air on CBS?

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Curious to know when The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is set to broadcast its finale and the reasons behind CBS’ decision to terminate it. With Colbert wrapping up his last season, various network announcements, political conjecture, and corporate mergers have sparked discussions about the show’s ending.

Here’s what we know so far about the planned conclusion of The Late Show, as well as the factors that influenced CBS’s choice.

When will The Late Show with Stephen Colbert end on CBS?

CBS has announced that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will conclude in May 2026.

The network officially announced on July 18, 2025, that the show would conclude, emphasizing that this decision was unrelated to the show’s ratings, content, or any issues at Paramount.

CBS announced that Stephen Colbert is “unequalled” and they are discontinuing The Late Show brand altogether. CBS executives explained it’s a financial move in light of the difficulties in the late-night scene, stating, “This decision is strictly business-related amidst tough conditions in the late-night segment.” Colbert informed viewers that he discovered the show’s cancellation the previous evening and shared, “I am not being succeeded. Instead, everything is simply coming to an end.

Stephen Colbert assumed hosting duties for The Late Show in 2015, replacing David Letterman following almost a decade on Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report. In more recent broadcasts, Colbert has spoken out against Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Donald Trump, labeling it as “an extravagant bribe.” This legal dispute stemmed from a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris, which Trump contested.

The company that owns CBS, Paramount Global, is planning a $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media, but this deal is still waiting for approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). One of the FCC commissioners, Brendan Carr, who was appointed by former President Trump, is said to be investigating this merger. However, Paramount has clarified that the lawsuit they are involved in and the merger are two separate matters.

Democratic Senator Adam Schiff, fresh from recording a segment for Colbert’s program, expressed doubt on platform X about potential political motives behind the show’s cancellation. In his post, he posed the question: “If Paramount and CBS decided to terminate The Late Show for political reasons, the public has the right to be informed.

As a dedicated fan, I must share some exciting news: CBS announced they won’t be renewing After Midnight, another late-night show produced by my beloved Colbert. However, despite this cancellation, Nielsen ratings revealed that Colbert was leading his time slot with an impressive 2.417 million viewers! Interestingly, his show was the only one among late-night programs to gain viewers this year.

The show received its sixth Emmy nomination for Outstanding Talk Show this week.

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2025-07-18 06:40