Stephen Colbert will no longer host The Late Show. Following the network’s shocking $16 million settlement against Donald Trump, CBS announced that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is ending next year. As fans of the late-night comedy show grapple with the news, many are wondering if the show was canceled. Above all, viewers are asking the same question: why is Stephen’s late-night show coming to an end?
Below, News47.us has a breakdown of why The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is ending.
Yes, CBS is canceling The Late Show franchise after more than three decades on the air. Stephen took over the show in 2015, and it was originally hosted by David Letterman.
The Late Show will end in May 2026, CBS executives announced on July 17, 2025.
CBS decided to gut The Late Show with Stephen Colbert due to financial reasons, network executives explained in a statement released on July 17, 2025, obtained by Variety.
“We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire The Late Show franchise in May of 2026,” CBS executives said. “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 unnamed executives added, “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.”
