Stephen Colbert announces cancellation of ‘Late Show’ franchise after 33 years

“The Late Show” is coming to a close after more than three decades on the air.

Stephen Colbert announced the long-running series’ cancellation after 33 years on Thursday’s episode, telling viewers that he found out about the decision the previous evening.

“The network will be ending ‘The Late Show’ in May,” the host, 61, revealed.

When the audience loudly booed in response, he quipped, “Yeah, I share your feelings. It isn’t just the end of our show but the end of ‘The Late Show’ on CBS.

“I’m not being replaced,” Colbert clarified. “This is all just going away.”

The Emmy winner went on to share his gratitude for the network, the employees and the people who have tuned in since he took over the show in September 2015.

“I’ve had the pleasure and the responsibility of sharing what we do every day in front of this camera for the last 10 years and, let me tell you, it is a fantastic job,” he gushed. “I wish somebody else was getting it.

“It’s a job I’m looking forward to doing with this usual gang of idiots for another 10 months,” Colbert concluded, revealing the last show will wrap up in May 2026. “It’s gonna be fun. Y’all ready?”

CBS canceled the series as a “purely financial decision,” the network claimed to Variety on Wednesday.

“We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire ‘The Late Show’ franchise,” their statement read. “We are proud that Stephen called CBS home. He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late night television.”

The network blamed “the challenging backdrop in late night” for the shocking choice, insisting, “It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”

Colbert’s fellow hosts weighed in on the bombshell Thursday, with Andy Cohen calling it “a sad day for late-night television” and CBS.

“I think Stephen Colbert is a singular talent,” Andy Cohen told Deadline. “He’s going to have an incredible next chapter. I can’t believe CBS is turning off the lights at 11:30 after the local news.

“He’s one of three late-night shows deemed worthy enough for an Emmy nomination,” the “stunned” “Watch What Happens Live” host, 57, continued. “He produces a brilliant show.”

Jimmy Kimmel, for his part, seemingly referenced CBS’ “Big Bang Theory” and its multiple spinoffs — “Young Sheldon” and “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” — in his Instagram Story reaction, writing, “Love you Stephen. F–k you and all your Sheldons CBS.”

Before Colbert, “The Late Show” was hosted by David Letterman from its premiere in 1993 to 2015.