Stephen Colbert Says Late Show Cancellation ‘Feels Real Now’ After Final Date Was Announced

The end of The Late Show is only four months away, and it’s just now starting to “feel real” for host Stephen Colbert.

In his Tuesday, Jan. 27, appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Colbert, 61, reflected on the forthcoming end of his own late-night talk show, air its last episode in May after 10 seasons. 

“It feels real now,” Colbert told Seth Meyers, as seen in a clip published on Instagram before the episode airs. “It did not feel… I mean, I know it was real, but now, there’s four months left.”

Colbert explained to Meyers that what he really loves about doing the show is “the people I do it with,” noting that there are some staffers with whom he’s worked since he began his career.

“Listen, you can do comedy in a lot of different places, [but] there’s no place like the Ed Sullivan Theater,” Colbert continued, referring to the New York City theater where his show is filmed. “But it’s really the people. That’s really what I care about. That’s really what I’m going to miss more than anything.”

The final episode of The Late Show will air on Thursday, May 21, per LateNighter and Deadline, nearly a year after Colbert announced the show’s end during a July 17 taping.

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“Before we start the show, I want you to know something that I found out just last night,” Colbert said during his opening monologue. “Next year will be our last season. The network will be ending The Late Show in May.”

He continued, “It’s not just the end of our show, but it’s the end of The Late Show on CBS. I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away.”

CBS’ decision to cancel the long-running show came days after Colbert’s July 14, 2025, episode, in which he criticized Paramount, the network’s parent company, for its $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump earlier that month. Trump alleged the network’s 60 Minutes deceptively edited an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris. Paramount also needed approval by the Trump-controlled FCC for a merger with Skydance Media, which was approved in August 2025.

“As someone who has always been a proud employee of this network, I am offended,” Colbert said at the time. “And I don’t know if anything will ever repair my trust in this company. But just taking a stab at it, I’d say $16 million would help.”

In a statement from CBS shared with PEOPLE, the network said the decision was “purely financial” and “is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”

“Our admiration, affection, and respect for the talents of Stephen Colbert and his incredible team made this agonizing decision even more difficult,” the statement continued. “Stephen has taken CBS late night by storm with cutting-edge comedy, a must-watch monologue and interviews with leaders in entertainment, politics, news and newsmakers across all areas.”

“The show has been #1 in late night for nine straight seasons; Stephen’s comedy resonates daily across digital and social media; and the broadcast is a staple of the nation’s zeitgeist.”

The Late Show franchise began in 1993 with David Letterman as host. Colbert, who previously starred in The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, took over after Letterman’s retirement in 2015.