CBS announced last summer that “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” would come to an end after its current season. Fans now have an exact date for Stephen Colbert’s final show behind his iconic desk.
‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ Finale Date
Colbert revealed on Monday, January 26, during a crossover appearance on “Late Night With Seth Meyers” that his final episode will air on May 21, 2026, according to Late Nighter.
The news comes months after the network revealed “‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ will end its historic run in May 2026 at the end of the broadcast season.”
“We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire ‘The Late Show’ franchise at that time,” CBS added in its July 2025 announcement. “We are proud that Stephen called CBS home. He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late night television.”
The late-night host—who took over as the host of “Late Night” after David Letterman’s retirement in 2015—addressed the cancellation at the top of the show on July 17, 2025.
“Next year will be our last season,” Colbert said at the time. “The network will be ending The Late Show in May.” In response to boos from the crowd, he added, “Yeah, I share your feelings. It’s not just the end of our show, but it’s the end of ‘The Late Show on CBS’. I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away.”
He continued, “I’ve had the pleasure and the responsibility of sharing what we do every day with you in front of this camera for the last 10 years. And let me tell you, it is a fantastic job. I wish somebody else was getting it. It’s a job that I’m looking forward to doing with this usual gang of idiots for another 10 months. It’s gonna be fun. Y’all ready? Let’s go.”
Late Night TV Shakeup
As the landscape of late-night television continues to change, Jimmy Kimmel hinted that he would be walking away from “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” at the end of his current contract.
“I think this is my final contract,” he said in an interview with LA Times in February 2024, with his contract coming to an end in 2026.
However, it appears he had a change of heart as the comedian announced in December 2025 that he extended his contract with ABC through the 2027 season.
“I am pleased to announce another no-talent year!” Kimmel shared via Instagram.
