Stephen Colbert has confirmed that his final episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert will air on May 21. After long speculations, this sets a definitive end date for CBS’s long-running late-night franchise.
Colbert revealed the date during a guest appearance taping on Late Night With Seth Meyers, marking the first official confirmation since CBS announced last summer that the program would conclude in May 2026.
Colbert has hosted The Late Show since 2015, succeeding David Letterman, who launched the CBS version of the franchise in 1993. When the network disclosed its decision in July 2025, it described the move as a “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night”, saying it was “not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount”.
At the time, CBS did not disclose a final broadcast date, leaving viewers and industry observers without a clear endpoint. The network also confirmed it would retire The Late Show franchise altogether rather than continue it with a new host.
The announcement arrived during a turbulent period for Paramount, which included corporate restructuring and a closely watched legal settlement. While CBS has repeatedly separated those developments from the show’s cancellation, the news sparked strong reactions across entertainment and political circles. It reflects the program’s cultural influence and Colbert’s prominence as a satirical voice.
Since the cancellation became public, Stephen Colbert has continued to deliver pointed political comedy, reflecting the role The Late Show has played as a nightly barometer of American discourse.
Its sign-off will close more than three decades of a format that helped shape modern late-night television, from Letterman’s irreverence to Colbert’s sharp, conversational style.
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