CBS cancels ‘The Last Show with Stephen Colbert'
In a shocking move, CBS is ending 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' next year, potentially exiting the late-night television business altogether.
www.cnn.comHere’s the latest on Stephen Colbert’s show closure situation.
- CBS has announced that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end after the 2025-2026 season, with May 2026 as the likely final air date. This decision was framed by the network as a financial one amid broader late-night industry challenges.[2][5][7]
- Colbert addressed the news publicly, confirming that next year would be the final season and expressing gratitude to the audience and CBS, while noting the network’s decision was not about the show’s performance.[7][2]
- Coverage indicates the decision aligns with broader financial pressures at Paramount/CBS and precedes ongoing corporate changes, including Paramount’s merger considerations and related settlements, which some observers suggest influenced the timing.[3][5][2]
Illustration: If you’d like, I can summarize the timeline in a compact bullet timeline (announcement date, last season timing, final air date) or pull direct quotes from Colbert’s on-air remarks.
Would you like me to compile a brief timeline and provide links to the key articles for reading?