Colbert And ‘The Late Show’ Will Air Final Episode After Controversial Cancellation

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Get ready to say goodbye to “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”

The final episode of the late-night talk show is scheduled to air Thursday, May 21. It will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+ at 11:35 p.m.

Some of the show’s guests during its final week have included Letterman, Barack Obama, Tom Hanks, Jon Stewart and Steven Spielberg.

Colbert, a Montclair resident, took over hosting duties from David Letterman in 2015. He announced the cancellation to his audience during a taping in July 2025.

“This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night,” said George Cheeks, the president of CBS and co-chief executive of Paramount, CBS’s parent company told The New York Times.

“It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount,” Cheeks said. “Our admiration, affection and respect for the talents of Stephen Colbert and his incredible team made this agonizing decision even more difficult.”

The announcement came two days after Colbert spoke out against Paramount Global settling with President Donald Trump over a “60 Minutes” story, calling it a "big fat bribe." It also came a week before the Federal Communications Commission approved Paramount’s controversial $8 billion merger with Skydance.

>> RELATED: CBS Cancels ‘Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ Days After He Joked About 'Big Fat Bribe' To Trump

Just a few months after his show was canceled, Colbert scored a bittersweet going-away victory: an Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Series.

“I have never loved my country more desperately,” the New Jersey resident said during his acceptance speech.

“God bless America,” Colbert continued, thanking his family and the crew of the show. “Stay strong, be brave, and if the elevator tries to bring you down, go crazy and punch a higher floor!”

Colbert and his wife, Evelyn McGee-Colbert, have been major boosters for the arts community in North Jersey. The comedian has recruited some major star power in support of the annual Montclair Film Festival, including Meryl Streep, John Oliver, Jon Bon Jovi, Paul Giamatti and Jim Gaffigan.

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