CBS makes surprise announcement about 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert'

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end in May 2026.

The CBS television network made the announcement Thursday, citing financial challenges as the reason behind the cancellation.

The move "is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night [television]," the network clarified in a statement.

"It is not related in any way to the show's performance, content, or other matters," CBS added of its three-decade-old programme.

The decision comes just two weeks after CBS parent company, Paramount, settled a lawsuit with US President Donald Trump over a past interview involving his 2024 election rival Kamala Harris.

The cancellation means CBS will be without a late-night talk show for the first time since 1993.

Colbert shared the news during a Thursday taping, to which he was met with a chorus of boos and shouts of "no" from the live studio audience.

“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.”

"It is a fantastic job. I wish somebody else was getting it," he added. He also expressed gratitude.

“The folks at CBS have been great partners,” he said. “And of course, I’m grateful to you, the audience, who have joined us every night in here, out there, all around the world.”

Colbert added that he was informed of the decision on Wednesday night.