Stephen Colbert Hosts Final Episode of 'The Late Show' After 11 Seasons
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Stephen Colbert hosted his final episode of 'The Late Show' on CBS, concluding an 11-season run. The 77-minute finale featured a musical performance with Paul McCartney and cameos from fellow late-night hosts. CBS will replace the show with the syndicated program 'Comics Unleashed,' hosted by Byron Allen.
Facts First
- Stephen Colbert's 11-year tenure hosting CBS's 'The Late Show' ended with a 77-minute finale on May 21, 2026.
- The finale featured a performance of 'Hello, Goodbye' with Paul McCartney and appearances by Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and Jon Oliver.
- CBS canceled the show last July, citing it as a financial decision amid a challenging late-night landscape.
- The 11:35 p.m. timeslot will be filled by 'Comics Unleashed', a syndicated talk show hosted by Byron Allen that will avoid political content.
- The Ed Sullivan Theater, home to the show for 33 years, will see its set donated to the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago.
What Happened
Stephen Colbert hosted the final episode of 'The Late Show' on CBS, ending an 11-season run that began in 2015. The 77-minute finale, taped at New York's Ed Sullivan Theater, featured a musical performance with former Beatle Paul McCartney, who sang 'Hello, Goodbye' with Colbert, Elvis Costello, and Jon Batiste. The episode included cameos from late-night hosts Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and Jon Oliver, and concluded with a visual effect of the theater being consumed by a green interdimensional wormhole. CBS canceled the show last July, stating the decision was financial. The network is leasing the vacated timeslot to Byron Allen for his syndicated show, 'Comics Unleashed'.
Why this Matters to You
If you're a late-night TV viewer, your viewing options are changing. The long-standing 'Late Show' franchise, a staple for 33 years, has ended its latest chapter. You may now see a different style of comedy in that timeslot, as the replacement show, 'Comics Unleashed,' has stated it will avoid political content. For fans of Colbert's specific blend of political satire and celebrity interviews, that era has concluded. The set from the show is being preserved for public viewing at a museum, which may offer you a chance to see a piece of broadcast history.
What's Next
'The Late Show' timeslot will be filled starting Friday by 'Comics Unleashed,' hosted by Byron Allen. Colbert's immediate plans include attending his brother's wedding this weekend. He is also co-writing a script for an upcoming 'Lord of the Rings' movie with his son. The other major networks, ABC and NBC, aired reruns of their competing late-night shows on the night of Colbert's finale, a gesture that may signal a period of adjustment in the late-night landscape.