Here are the latest updates on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert:
- News outlet reports in mid-2025 that Stephen Colbert confirmed The Late Show would end after the 2025–2026 season, with CBS attributing the decision to financial reasons amid a tough late-night environment. This marks a major shift for a long-running late-night franchise.[2][4]
- Colbert addressed the audience mid-2025, indicating that next year would be the final season and noting the show would wrap in May 2026, with CBS reiterating that the decision was not related to ratings or content.[3][4]
- Coverage highlights that the end of The Late Show comes as Paramount/ CBS navigates broader corporate considerations, including ongoing industry changes and related corporate settlements. Several reports link the decision to broader market conditions in late-night television rather than the show’s performance.[4][5]
Illustration: If you’re tracking the timeline, the key milestones are Colbert’s on-air acknowledgment in July 2025 about the final season, followed by CBS confirming May 2026 as the wrap date.
Would you like a concise timeline with dates and primary source links, or a quick roundup of how this affects late-night TV landscape and potential future projects for Colbert?
Citations:
- CBS/TV Insider coverage on the show’s end and context.[1]
- Reports confirming end date and final season announcements.[2][3][4]
- Additional coverage discussing network rationale and industry context.[5][4]
Sources
'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is not airing new episodes this week and for two more weeks. Find out when the late-night talk show will return to CBS with all-new episodes.
people.comStephen 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.comThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert (TV Series 2015–2025) - Movies, TV, Celebs, and more...
www.imdb.comWatch full episodes of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and view video clips and browse photos. Join the conversation and connect with CBS's The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.
www.cbs.comNick Kroll and Stephen Colbert are having some fun in their quest to help Puerto Ricans in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Chris discussed the defection of more Republican Senators from their plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, Chris Christie saying Donald Trump Jr's meeting with a Russian lawyer was 'probably against the law,' and Thursday's parole hearing for OJ Simpson. At 8:20, he spoke with author Alexander Klimburg about his new book, The Darkening Web.
www.cbsnews.comThe comic interviews guests and introduces musical performances.
www.tvinsider.comThe show will end in May, the network said, calling it 'a purely financial decision.'
www.nytimes.com