Late-night television will mark the end of an era Thursday night when The Late Show with Stephen Colbert airs its final episode, closing the curtain on both Stephen Colbert’s 11-year tenure and the entire 33-year “Late Show” franchise.
CBS announced that the finale, scheduled for 11:35 p.m. ET/PT, will be an “extended” broadcast, although the network has not disclosed the exact runtime. The sendoff is expected to feature surprise guests and a celebratory atmosphere as Colbert signs off from New York’s Ed Sullivan Theater.
The network has remained tight-lipped about who will appear during the final episode. In the days leading up to the finale, however, Colbert welcomed a lineup of notable guests, including Jon Stewart, Steven Spielberg, Bruce Springsteen, and David Byrne.
According to reports, the celebration will continue after the cameras stop rolling. Variety reported that cast, crew and celebrity guests have been invited to a nearby after-party themed “That’s a WRAP! (PARTY),” with invitations encouraging attendees to dress “Fired & Festive!”
CBS announced in July that it would end “The Late Show” franchise at the conclusion of the 2025-26 broadcast season, describing the move as a financial decision unrelated to the show’s ratings or content. The cancellation, however, sparked widespread speculation because it followed Colbert’s criticism of Paramount Global, CBS’ parent company, over a settlement involving President Donald Trump and a “60 Minutes” interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump, a frequent target of Colbert’s monologues, publicly celebrated news of the show’s cancellation on social media.
Colbert, meanwhile, leaned into the controversy during his final months on the air. Shortly after the cancellation announcement, he joked during a monologue that “cancel culture has gone too far,” adding that CBS had made one mistake by “leaving me alive.”
The comedian also used his final weeks to stage unconventional farewell segments. Last week, former “Late Show” host David Letterman joined Colbert in tossing furniture from the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theater onto a CBS target below. Earlier this week, Colbert broke from the show’s traditional format by allowing staff members to present previously rejected comedy sketches and unused ideas from the show’s archives.
Thursday’s finale will air without competition from rival hosts Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel, whose programs will both air reruns instead of new episodes.
Source: Entertainment Weekly