Colbert took over from David Letterman in 2015 but he leaves amid political controversy with parent company Paramount.
The reason why CBS canceled ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ after three decades
After 33 years, ‘The Late Show’ will end its run in May 2026 after CBS decided to cancel the iconic show.
The series has been led by Steven Colbert since 2015, taking the name ‘The Late Show with Steven Colbert’, but began in 1993. Initially talk show host David Letterman led the shows after being passed over by NBC for The Tonight Show.
In announcing the news in July 2025, CBS paid tribute to ‘The Late Show’ and to Colbert for his “historic run” on the show.
“We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire ‘THE LATE SHOW’ franchise at that time,” a CBS statement read. “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.”
“This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night,” they added. “It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”
Jon Stewart: "What are you in late night, No. 1?"
— CONSEQUENCE (@consequence) May 20, 2026
Stephen Colbert "I think we are, yeah. I don't know anymore. Doesn't really matter."
Stewart: "I just think it's so smart what CBS is doing. It's such a good move. To take this show off the air, and then to also ruin your… pic.twitter.com/v03JDnd7Nk
However not everyone is quite so convinced by CBS’ explanation. Skydance, the Hollywood studio, acquired Paramount (the parent company of CBS). Trump’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the deal and the deal officially closed in August 2025.
In 2025 lawyers operating for President Donald Trump in his lawsuit over an interview the CBS show ’60 Minutes’ aired with Vice President Kamala Harris in the build-up to last year’s election managed to get a $16 million payment for Trump’s future presidential library.
Speaking on ‘The Late Show’ last summer, Colbert described the payment as “a big fat bribe” and questioned his own parent company’s decision-making. He said: “Paramount knows they could have easily fought it, because in their own words, the lawsuit was completely without merit.”
Colbert has not been the only one to express his concern with the decision. Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff wrote on social media: “If Paramount and CBS ended the Late Show for political reasons, the public deserves to know. And deserves better."
The final episode of ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ is on Thursday, May 21. The final week has included an impressive lineup of celebrities showing their support to Colbert:
- Bruce Springsteen
- Former PresidentObama
- Tom Hanks
- David Letterman
- Jon Stewart
“For the last time: I'm Anderson Cooper.”
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) May 20, 2026
Listen to Anderson Cooper’s “I’ms” through the years and hear his final one for the broadcast. pic.twitter.com/T6RantTfrY
Since the takeover and under Bari Weiss’ management, CBS Evening News is now under 4 million viewers, CBS Mornings is down 13 percent and ‘60 Minutes’ just lost its most important assett, Cooper Anderson.
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