David Letterman first debuted on The Late Present in 1993, with Colbert taking on in 2015. With 10 years of Colbert behind the desk, the present usually received the Nielsen rankings for late-night broadcast reveals and has racked up 33 Emmy nominations, together with Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series and Outstanding Talk Series nominations for 2025.
Nevertheless, Colbert’s exit is simply the newest blow for late-night.
Regardless of the positives, the decline of late-night TV amid rising budgets and dwindling advert {dollars} has been a relentless story within the headlines, with NBCUniversal chopping The Tonight Show down to four days per week in 2024 and CBS opting to end The Late Late Show following James Corden’s exit in 2023.
The Late Present involves an finish as Paramount awaits FCC approval for its multi-billion-dollar merger with Skydance Media. In cost-cutting measures, Paramount also laid off several hundred employees in June.
See the complete assertion from CBS management under:
“‘THE LATE SHOW with STEPHEN COLBERT’ will finish its historic run in Could 2026 on the finish of the printed season. We contemplate Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and can retire ‘THE LATE SHOW’ franchise at the moment. We’re proud that Stephen known as CBS dwelling. He and the printed will likely be remembered within the pantheon of greats that graced late evening tv.
That is purely a monetary choice in opposition to a difficult backdrop in late evening. It isn’t associated in any solution to the present’s efficiency, content material or different issues occurring at Paramount.
Our admiration, affection, and respect for the skills of Stephen Colbert and his unimaginable workforce made this agonizing choice much more tough. Stephen has taken CBS late evening by storm with cutting-edge comedy, a must-watch monologue and interviews with leaders in leisure, politics, information and newsmakers throughout all areas. The present has been #1 in late evening for 9 straight seasons; Stephen’s comedy resonates each day throughout digital and social media; and the printed is a staple of the nation’s zeitgeist.
