"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" to end in May 2026

CBS will end "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" and retire "The Late Show" franchise in May 2026, the company announced Thursday, calling it "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night."

CBS called Colbert irreplaceable and said the show's ending was "not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount," CBS' parent company.

"We are proud that Stephen called CBS home," the network said in a statement. "He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late night television."