CBS to end ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ in 2026, exit late night
Stephen Colbert attends the SNL50: The Anniversary Special at Rockefeller Plaza on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
NEW YORK (AZFamily) — CBS will end The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in May 2026, marking the conclusion of a nine-season run for the top-rated late-night program.
The network confirmed the decision Thursday, citing financial pressures across the late-night television landscape. CBS emphasized that the move is not related to the show’s ratings, content, or any internal issues at its parent company, Paramount Global. Paramount is currently pursuing a merger with Skydance Media, a deal that has faced multiple regulatory hurdles in Washington, D.C.
Viewers in the Phoenix metro area and northern Arizona can currently watch the show weekdays at 10:30 p.m. on Arizona’s Family CBS 5.
“Next year will be our last season,” Colbert told the audience during Thursday’s taping. “The network will be ending our show in May.”
CBS said it will exit the long-running Late Show franchise entirely, calling Colbert “irreplaceable.” The show has led late-night ratings for nine consecutive seasons and has maintained a strong presence across television and digital platforms.
Colbert took over The Late Show in 2015, following the retirement of longtime host David Letterman.
CBS plans to continue airing new episodes through the end of the 2025–26 broadcast season and said it will honor the show and its team over the next 10 months.
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