Overview
- The Late Show With Stephen Colbert airs its final episode on Thursday, May 21, 2026, with rival networks clearing the 11:35 p.m. slot so peers can watch and pay tribute.
- Jimmy Fallon offered an on‑air sendoff and said his show would watch Colbert’s finale, and NBC will air a Tonight Show repeat that night in deference to Colbert.
- Jimmy Kimmel left his own show dark and urged viewers to tune in to Colbert’s farewell then to stop watching CBS thereafter, framing his call as a protest against the cancellation.
- CBS and parent Paramount say the decision rests on financial losses while critics and some hosts point to a $16 million settlement with President Trump and recent corporate deals as possible factors.
- Colbert has said his final show came together only in recent weeks and is expected to run long, and the coordinated sendoffs could increase public scrutiny of CBS’s programming choices and corporate partners.