Overview
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert ended when Colbert hosted his final episode at the Ed Sullivan Theater, which aired on 21 May 2026.
- CBS and parent Paramount say the cancellation was a purely financial move citing falling ad revenue and high production costs for late night.
- Critics, commentators and some lawmakers have pointed to the timing of the decision during Paramount’s regulatory push and a recent settlement with President Trump as reasons to suspect political pressure.
- Colbert’s farewell was largely conciliatory, featured Paul McCartney singing “Hello, Goodbye,” drew visible solidarity from fellow late-night hosts, and left Colbert publicly planning new creative work including a reported Lord of the Rings screenplay and possible podcasting.
- The decision has sharpened a wider debate about the future of televised political satire as audiences shift to clips and streaming, and it could trigger further scrutiny of how corporate deals and government relations affect editorial and programming choices.