CBS has made another cancellation decision, and this time it’s to one of its late shows. The Late Show With Stephen Colbert is going to end its historic run.
Stephen Colbert shared the news during the taping for tonight’s (July 17) taping, according to Deadline. The news is certainly shocking to many, and the reason behind it that same disappointing reason we’ve been hearing time and time again recently.
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert will officially end in 2026
During the taping, Colbert made it clear that The Late Show With Stephen Colbert isn’t a case of him being replaced with another host. Instead, the show is “just going away.” Since Colbert’s contract is coming to an end in May 2026, CBS has decided this is the perfect time to bring it to a close.
Colbert isn’t being shy about the reasons why, either. He’s made it clear that this isn’t his decision, despite a statement from CBS making it sound like he is retiring from the talk show. This is a financial decision due to the challenge that late night television has been facing for a while. It’s not linked to the show’s performance or content, nor is it linked to the current negotiation talks between Paramount and Skydance.
You can check out the goodbye via Colbert’s Instagram below, where he shares that he only found out about the decision the night before!
The evolution of The Late Show
Of course, Colbert is not the first host of this CBS late night show. David Letterman originally served as the host from August 1993, after he failed to score The Tonight Gig on NBC. He retired from The Late Show in May 2015, with Colbert taking over the reins.
Colbert has always been a voice of the Left when it comes to politics, making his thoughts about President Trump clear. Many may suspect that this is the main reason for the cancellation, but Colbert is adamant that it is linked to financial decisions. This isn’t too hard to believe considering CBS has canceled a number of excellent shows over recent years for the same reason, most notably NCIS: Hawaii, CSI: Vegas, and FBI: International in the most recent years.
This also isn’t the first CBS late night talk show to be canceled, either, as After Midnight was also recently canceled. However, it’s worth noting that that was Taylor Tomlinson’s decision as she decided she wanted to go back on tour.
It’s certainly a blow for late night TV. The cancellation of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert was not on my 2025 bingo card.