A staple of late night television is going off the air for good.
CBS and Stephen Colbert broke the news Thursday that the next season of ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ will be its last.
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It will not return with a new host, either.
“We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire ‘THE LATE SHOW’ franchise at that time,” wrote CBS. “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.”
The Associated Press reports the announcement came three days after Colbert spoke out against Paramount Global, parent company of CBS, settling with President Donald Trump over a “60 Minutes” story. The company’s pending sale to Skydance Media needs the Trump administration’s approval.
According to CBS, the decision has nothing to do with the host, the show’s popularity, or content. Instead, the company said it all comes down to money.
“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.”
Still, CBS said that The Late Show has been #1 in late night for nine straight seasons.
The final season will end in May 2026, concluding a decades-long franchise. The Late Show first began in the 90s with host David Letterman, before Colbert took over in 2015.
“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.” wrote CBS.
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