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Coventina

(29,333 posts)
Tue Jan 27, 2026, 10:51 AM 4 hrs ago

Stephen Colbert Sets Final Episode Date for The Late Show

During a taping of Late Night with Seth Meyers Monday night, Colbert revealed that the series finale of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will air Thursday, May 21.

The announcement puts a firm date on a farewell that has been looming since last summer, when CBS confirmed it would be ending the franchise at the close of the 2025–26 broadcast season. “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end its historic run in May 2026 at the end of the broadcast season,” the network said at the time.

Colbert later addressed the cancellation directly on his own show, underscoring the finality of the decision. “It’s not just the end of our show, but it’s the end of The Late Show on CBS,” he said. “I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away.”

The end of Colbert’s run will mark the conclusion of a franchise that has been a cornerstone of late-night television for more than three decades. David Letterman launched the show in 1993 after his high-profile move from NBC, broadcasting from a newly renovated Ed Sullivan Theater. Over more than 4,200 episodes, Letterman’s Late Show became a cultural institution before he signed off in 2015.

https://latenighter.com/news/stephen-colbert-late-show-series-finale/

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Mods: I consider this political news, as Colbert was canceled on Trump's orders.

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Stephen Colbert Sets Final Episode Date for The Late Show (Original Post) Coventina 4 hrs ago OP
"Final episode" on CBS JohnnyRingo 4 hrs ago #1
After which JPK 3 hrs ago #2
Same. CBS (Paramount, whatever) will be dead to me. Coventina 1 hr ago #3

JohnnyRingo

(20,592 posts)
1. "Final episode" on CBS
Tue Jan 27, 2026, 11:24 AM
4 hrs ago

Colbert is too valuable of a TV commodity to grow a retirement beard just yet.
I believe he'll quickly find a new home on Netflix, HBO, or Amazon Prime. Indeed, he may already have an offer in his pocket.

This is CBS's loss by giving up ratings after midnight and Colbert's gain of a bigger paycheck and more creative latitude. Plus he'll be able to say things about this president that network censors would have bleeped.

Can you imagine how many new subscribers Netflix would get if he signed up.

JPK

(946 posts)
2. After which
Tue Jan 27, 2026, 11:47 AM
3 hrs ago

Will be the last programing I will ever watch on See BS. I don't watch any Fox programing either.

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