Stephen Colbert Confirms ‘The Late Show’ To End After 10 Seasons
Stephen Colbert announced that CBS will wrap up The Late Show in May 2026, marking the end of an era for the top-rated late-night programme.
news.abplive.comHere’s the latest on Stephen Colbert’s final Late Show.
- Final episode date: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will air its last episode on May 21, 2026. This was confirmed by multiple outlets after Colbert announced the cancellation in early 2026.[2][3]
- Context: CBS described the cancellation as a financial decision tied to late-night ad revenue challenges, and not related to the show’s quality or content. This framing has been echoed by several industry outlets.[3][4][5]
- Colbert’s outlook: He has spoken about the ending with mixed emotions, noting that it “feels real now” as the final months approach, and he indicated plans to explore next steps with his team after the show ends.[4][2]
- Possible next steps: While specifics weren’t publicly pinned down at the time of the announcements, there was widespread reporting that Colbert and the Late Show team would pursue new projects together or individually after the finale.[3][4]
If you’d like, I can pull a concise timeline of key dates and create a quick visual (e.g., a timeline bar) to summarize the lead-up to the finale.