When it was announced in 2014 that Stephen Colbert would succeed David Letterman as host of the CBS “Late Show,” reaction was mixed. Letterman, who retired after helming the talk show for 22 years, had a loyal audience. At that point, Colbert was best known for playing a satirical version of himself on Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report.”

Stephen’s time hosting ‘The Late Show’ will come to an end in May 2026, he and CBS announced in July 2025 shortly after the network settled its lawsuit with Donald Trump for $16

CBS is canceling “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” next May, shuttering a decades-old TV institution and removing from air one of President Donald Trump's most prominent late-night critics.