It looks like CBS is making a big move with the decision to cancel one of their most beloved series that currently has as many as ten seasons under its belt. While it isn’t always surprising for a network to cancel a series without much of a success, this is an announcement that comes as a complete shock.
Additionally, the announcement confirms that the CBS series will come to an end in May 2026 following its run of ten seasons. This gives fans less than a year before the series comes to a close.
The announcement was confirmed by the heads of Paramount and CBS.
The unexpected news has generated quite a bit of controversy – with many fans also expressing disbelief. While some seem to understand the decision – others are vocally voicing their frustration – hoping that anything could save the show.
As shared via Deadline:
“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert will end its historic run in May 2026 at the end of the broadcast season,” CBS brass said in a statement. “We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire The Late Show franchise at that time. 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 aforementioned brass includes Co-CEO Paramount Global and President and Chief Executive Officer of CBS George Cheeks, President of CBS Entertainment Amy Reisenbach, and President of CBS Studios David Stapf.
As for host Stephen Colbert, he issued a statement of his own when sharing the news on a taping for the series:
“I’m not being replaced, this is all just going away,” confirming that The Late Show as a whole is coming to an end and not just his role as the host.
To further confirm why the series is being canceled, CBS execs insist that it had nothing to do with the show’s performance, but rather it was “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night.” They emphasize that it’s “not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”
As such, we’ll have to see what this decision means for the network moving forward and where we’ll see Stephen Colbert headed next. For now, however, it’s a major hit against the late night schedule and other related shows that have been suffering as of late.