Stephen Colbert has announced the date of the final episode of “The Late Show,” confirming that the long-running CBS program will end on Thursday, May 21.
Colbert revealed the date Tuesday during an appearance on “Late Night With Seth Meyers,” according to entertainment outlet Latenighter. Fans had known the show was ending but had not previously been told when the final broadcast would air.
CBS announced in July that it would shut down “The Late Show,” citing financial reasons. The network said at the time that the decision was not related to the program’s performance or content.
The announcement came days after Colbert criticized a settlement between President Donald Trump and Paramount Global, CBS’s parent company, over a “60 Minutes” interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris that aired during the 2024 presidential campaign.
Colbert said he was “offended” by the settlement and described it as a “big fat bribe,” suggesting it would help secure Paramount’s merger with Skydance, a deal that was later approved by the Federal Communications Commission.
“I don’t know if anything will repair my trust in this company,” Colbert said at the time. “But, just taking a stab at it, I’d say $16 million would help.”
Shortly afterward, Colbert told his audience that the show would not be renewed.
“Next year will be our last season. … It’s the end of ‘The Late Show’ on CBS,” he said. “I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away.”
Audience members reacted with boos and groans during the taping, prompting Colbert to respond, “Yeah, I share your feelings.”
In a statement following the announcement, CBS said the decision to cancel the show was not “related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”
