Broadcast Shocker: CBS Abruptly Cancels Top-Rated Late Show With Stephen Colbert

The ratings-leading Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end its run in May 2026, in a shocking conclusion of a noteworthy era in late-night television.

Stephen Colbert during the Thursday, July 17 show, in which he broke the news that the show will end its run in 2026.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and guest Owen Wilson during Wednesday’s July 16 show.

Colbert broke the news to a live audience during taping of the Thursday, July 17 show at the Ed Sullivan Theatre in New York City that started late in the afternoon.

“I’m not being replaced,” Colbert said during the broadcast. “This is all just going away.”After the audience booed, Colbert replied, “Yeah, I share your feelings.”

CBS later confirmed the decision, citing “purely financial reasons” amid a rapidly changing and challenging landscape for traditional linear TV.

Colbert, age 61, a comedian, writer, and political satirist, first gained national attention as a correspondent on  Comedy Central’s The Daily Show before launching his own acclaimed series on the network, The Colbert Report, in 2005.

In September 2015, Colbert succeeded David Letterman as host of The Late Show,”bringing his sharp wit and political insight to CBS’s flagship late-night program.

After initially disappointing ratings, the show quickly rebounded, and has held the top spot for the 11:35 p.m. hour with an average of about 2.4 million viewers.

Over his tenure, Colbert has won nine Primetime Emmy Awards, two Grammys, and three Peabody Awards.

The end of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will close a chapter on one of late night’s most influential voices, as networks continue to adapt to new viewing habits and economic realities.