Stephen Colbert will finish hosting The Late Show in 2026
10 august 2025 в 17:13
Stephen Colbert will no longer host «The Late Show». After the shocking decision by the network to pay $ 16 million to Donald Trump, CBS announced that «The Late Show with Stephen Colbert» will end next year. Fans of the late-night comedy show are facing its inevitable conclusion, with many wondering why the show was canceled.
Below is an analysis of the reasons for the end of «The Late Show with Stephen Colbert».
Yes, CBS is canceling the «Late Show» franchise after more than three decades on the air. Stephen took over the show in 2015, originally hosted by David Letterman.
«The Late Show» will end in May 2026, CBS executives announced on July 17, 2025.
Network executives explained that CBS decided to close «The Late Show with Stephen Colbert» for financial reasons in a statement received by Variety on July 17, 2025.
«We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will close the 'Late Show' franchise in May 2026», - CBS executives said. «We are proud that Stephen called CBS his home. He and the show will be remembered in the pantheon of greats who graced late-night television».
The executives added: «This is purely a financial decision in the face of a challenging late-night landscape. It is not related to the performance of the show, its content, or other events happening at Paramount».
The merger between Paramount Global — CBS’s parent company — and Skydance Media is expected to close this year.
Paramount insists that the cancellation of Stephen’s show was financial. Despite criticism from Stephen himself, the network stands by its decision, and Paramount Global TV Media Chairman George Cheeks commented on the matter.
«The issue in late-night is that the advertising market is in significant secular decline», - George said at a press conference in August 2025, citing TV Insider. «We are huge fans of Colbert, we love the show, unfortunately, the economics have made it difficult for us to continue».
Stephen did not leave «The Late Show» voluntarily. According to Variety, the comedian was informed of CBS’s decision on July 16, 2025, and he announced it to the audience on the next episode recording.
Stephen, reportedly, was earning around $ 15 million a year from CBS hosting «The Late Show»
Below is an analysis of the reasons for the end of «The Late Show with Stephen Colbert».
Yes, CBS is canceling the «Late Show» franchise after more than three decades on the air. Stephen took over the show in 2015, originally hosted by David Letterman.
«The Late Show» will end in May 2026, CBS executives announced on July 17, 2025.
Network executives explained that CBS decided to close «The Late Show with Stephen Colbert» for financial reasons in a statement received by Variety on July 17, 2025.
«We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will close the 'Late Show' franchise in May 2026», - CBS executives said. «We are proud that Stephen called CBS his home. He and the show will be remembered in the pantheon of greats who graced late-night television».
The executives added: «This is purely a financial decision in the face of a challenging late-night landscape. It is not related to the performance of the show, its content, or other events happening at Paramount».
The merger between Paramount Global — CBS’s parent company — and Skydance Media is expected to close this year.
Paramount insists that the cancellation of Stephen’s show was financial. Despite criticism from Stephen himself, the network stands by its decision, and Paramount Global TV Media Chairman George Cheeks commented on the matter.
«The issue in late-night is that the advertising market is in significant secular decline», - George said at a press conference in August 2025, citing TV Insider. «We are huge fans of Colbert, we love the show, unfortunately, the economics have made it difficult for us to continue».
Stephen did not leave «The Late Show» voluntarily. According to Variety, the comedian was informed of CBS’s decision on July 16, 2025, and he announced it to the audience on the next episode recording.
Stephen, reportedly, was earning around $ 15 million a year from CBS hosting «The Late Show»
© Kolganov Andrey
