Colbert Exits CBS Stage
Stephen Colbert closed The Late Show With Stephen Colbert with a finale that mixed comedy, sentiment and late-night history after more than 10 years on CBS.
During the Thursday, May 21, episode, the 62-year-old host leaned into his usual absurd humor with a backstage wormhole sketch that threatened to pull him away from the Ed Sullivan Theater. The bit featured fellow late-night hosts John Oliver, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon, turning the farewell into a wider nod to the late-night community.
“I share your feelings,” Colbert told the audience, echoing the reaction to the show’s July 2025 cancellation announcement.
The finale also played with Colbert’s uncertain next chapter, including jokes about starting an OnlyFans and making CBS pay for expensive music. The show’s band, led in recent years by Louis Cato, helped keep the mood playful rather than overly somber.
Colbert also honored the Ed Sullivan Theater’s pop culture legacy, referencing Nichols and May, The Beatles’ American TV debut and Elvis Presley’s backstage connection to the venue. That history became central when Paul McCartney, 83, appeared as Colbert’s final celebrity interview. McCartney recalled first entering the theater in 1964 with The Beatles, alongside John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, before closing the episode with the 1969 song Goodbye.
The finale included cameos from Bryan Cranston, Paul Rudd, Tim Meadows, Tig Notaro, Ryan Reynolds, Elijah Wood and Andy Cohen. In his final month, Colbert also welcomed Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, John Oliver, David Letterman, President Barack Obama, Jon Stewart, Bruce Springsteen, Steven Spielberg and David Byrne.
Colbert took over The Late Show in September 2015 after Letterman’s 22-season run, from August 1993 to May 2015, and hosted the Emmy-winning series for 11 seasons. CBS said the cancellation was financial and unrelated to the show’s content or performance. The decision came after Paramount Global settled a lawsuit with President Donald Trump ahead of Skydance Media’s acquisition, a move Colbert criticized on air.
Colbert has not announced his next project. Comics Unleashed With Byron Allen will take over the CBS time slot.
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