NEW YORK: Stephen Colbert’s long-running late-night show, “The Late Show,“ will end in May 2026, CBS and the host confirmed. The announcement, made during a live broadcast, was met with audience shock and disappointment.
“Next year will be our last season,“ Colbert told viewers, adding, “The network will be ending the show in May (2026).” CBS clarified the decision was financial, stating, “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night,“ unrelated to performance or content.
The timing raised eyebrows, coming days after Colbert criticized CBS parent company Paramount for settling a $16 million lawsuit with former President Donald Trump. Colbert called the settlement “a big fat bribe.”
Political figures questioned the cancellation’s motives. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren posted on X, “CBS canceled Colbert’s show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump -- a deal that looks like bribery.”
CBS praised Colbert’s legacy, saying, “He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late night television.” - AFP
