The announcement came days after Colbert spoke out against the $16 million settlement paid by CBS News parent Paramount to settle a lawsuit filed by Donald Trump.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end in May 2026, the CBS television network announced in a surprise statement on Thursday. The move "is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night [television]," and "is not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters," CBS said.

Colbert confirmed the cancellation during a show taping on Thursday. CBS said the move was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night."