Stephen Colbert's The Late Show to end in 2026
During the episode of the late-night talk show on Thursday, the host announced that executives at CBS had decided to axe the programme.
The final episode is scheduled to be broadcast in May 2026.
"I want to let you know something I found out just last night. Next year will be our last season. The network will be ending The Late Show in May," he began, as members of the audience started to boo. "Yeah! I share your feelings. It's not just the end of our show. It's the end of The Late Show on CBS. I'm not being replaced. This is all just going away. I do want to say that the folks at CBS have been great partners."
Colbert went on to express his thanks to the staff, crew, band, and dedicated viewers.
"I'm so grateful to the Tiffany Network for giving me this chair and this beautiful theatre to call home. And, of course, I'm grateful to you, the audience, who have joined us every night. I've had the pleasure and the responsibility of sharing what we do every day with you in front of this camera for the last 10 years," the 61-year-old continued. "It is a fantastic job. I wish somebody else was getting it. It's a job that I'm looking forward to doing with this usual gang of idiots for another 10 months."
In a statement, CBS bosses insisted the decision to retire The Late Show franchise was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late-night" and not related to the programme's performance, content, or "other matters happening at Paramount".
"We are proud that Stephen called CBS home," they commented. "He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late-night television."
Colbert hosted the news satire show The Colbert Report on Comedy Central from 2005 until 2014.
He began presenting The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS in September 2015, taking over the slot previously held by David Letterman, who had hosted it from 1993 until his retirement in May 2015.
Colbert has been a vocal critic of U.S. President Donald Trump and recently condemned executives at Paramount, the parent company of CBS, over their decision to settle a lawsuit for $16 million (£12 million) filed by the American leader over the editing of an interview for 60 Minutes with former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Producers have denied all accusations in the lawsuit.
Paramount execs are in the midst of finalising a $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media, which requires approval from the Federal Communications Commission.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
‘Fantastic Four: First Steps' scores Marvel's first $100 million box office opening of 2025
Film Review - The Fantastic Four: First Steps LOS ANGELES (AP) — Marvel's first family has finally found box office gold. 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' the first film about the superheroes made under the guidance of Kevin Feige and the Walt Disney Co., earned $118 million in its first weekend in 4,125 North American theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday. That makes it the fourth biggest opening of the year, behind 'A Minecraft Movie,' 'Lilo & Stitch' and 'Superman,' and the biggest Marvel opening since 'Deadpool & Wolverine' grossed $211 million out of the gate last summer. Internationally, 'Fantastic Four' made $100 million from 52 territories, adding up to a $218 million worldwide debut. The numbers were within the range the studio was expecting. The film arrived in the wake of another big superhero reboot, James Gunn's 'Superman,' which opened three weekends ago and has already crossed $500 million globally. That film, from the other main player in comic book films, DC Studios, took second place with $24.9 million domestically. 'First Steps' is the latest attempt at bringing the superhuman family to the big screen, following lackluster performances for other versions. The film, based on the original Marvel comics, is set during the 1960s in a retro-futuristic world led by the Fantastic Four, a family of astronauts-turned-superhuman from exposure to cosmic rays during a space mission. The family is made up of Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), who can stretch his body to incredible lengths; Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), who can render herself invisible; Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), who transforms into a fiery human torch; and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), who possesses tremendous superhuman strength with his stone-like flesh. The movie takes place four years after the family gained powers, during which Reed's inventions have transformed technology, and Sue's diplomacy has led to global peace. Both audiences and critics responded positively to the film, which currently has an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and promising exit poll responses from opening weekend ticket buyers. An estimated 46% of audiences chose to see it on premium screens, including IMAX and other large formats. The once towering Marvel is working to rebuild audience enthusiasm for its films and characters. Its two previous offerings this year did not reach the cosmic box office heights of 'Deadpool & Wolverine," which made over $1.3 billion, or those of the 'Avengers'-era. But critically, the films have been on an upswing since the poorly reviewed 'Captain America: Brave New World,' which ultimately grossed $415 million worldwide. 'Thunderbolts," which jumpstarted the summer movie season, was better received critically but financially is capping out at just over $382 million globally. Like Deadpool and Wolverine, the Fantastic Four characters had been under the banner of 20th Century Fox for years. The studio produced two critically loathed, but decently profitable attempts in the mid-2000s with future Captain America Chris Evans as the Human Torch. In 2015, it tried again (unsuccessfully) with Michael B. Jordan and Miles Teller. They got another chance after Disney's $71 billion acquisition of Fox's entertainment assets in 2019. Top 10 movies by domestic box office With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore: 1. 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' $118 million. 2. 'Superman,' $24.9 million. 3. 'Jurassic World Rebirth,' $13 million. 4. 'F1: The Movie,' $6.2 million. 5. 'Smurfs,' $5.4 million. 6. 'I Know What You Did Last Summer,' $5.1 million. 7. 'How to Train Your Dragon,' $2.8 million. 8. 'Eddington,' $1.7 million. 9. 'Saiyaara,' $1.3 million. 10. 'Oh, Hi!,' $1.1 million. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Derek Hough Attends Dance Event in L.A. After He and Wife Hayley Erbert Reveal They're Expecting Their First Baby
The dancer and actor attended the VIP launch of the International Dance League (IDL) on July 26 Derek Hough was out and about after revealing some exciting personal news! The dancer and actor, 40, attended the VIP launch of the International Dance League (IDL) on Saturday, July 26. His appearance at the event came shortly after he and wife Hayley Erbert revealed they are expecting their first baby. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Hough and Erbert, 30, shared their exciting baby news through a sweet Instagram video on Tuesday, July 22. In the clip, the Dancing with the Stars judge and his wife embraced while overlooking a scenic view. As the two hugged, Erbert showed off sonogram photos to the camera before her. The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! "We can't believe the biggest thing to happen to us could be so small ♥️," the couple wrote in the caption of their joint social media post. Hough and Erbert first met in 2014. They later got engaged in June 2022, and the longtime couple then wed over a year later in August 2023. The IDL event, which took place at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, saw some of the world's best dance crews battle it out in front of fans. The dance crews involved included Royal Family (New Zealand), 1MILLION (South Korea), Quick Style (UAE), GRV (USA), Brotherhood (Canada), Jam Republic (Singapore). Just Maiko hosted the event, and a halftime performance was done by rapper BIA. There was also an exclusive merch capsule debut from Jeff Staple. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Fact check: Trump calls to prosecute Beyoncé based on a nonexistent $11 million payment
President Donald Trump over the weekend called for the prosecution of music superstar Beyoncé – based on something that did not actually happen. Trump claimed in a social media post that Beyoncé broke the law by supposedly getting paid $11 million for her endorsement of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris during an October 2024 event in Houston. But there is simply no basis for Trump's claim that Beyoncé received an $11 million payment related to the Harris campaign, let alone for the endorsement in particular. Federal campaign spending records show a $165,000 payment from the Harris campaign to Beyoncé's production company, which the campaign listed as a 'campaign event production' expense. A Harris campaign spokesperson told Deadline last year that they didn't pay celebrity endorsers, but were required by law to cover the costs connected to their appearances. Regardless of the merits of this particular $165,000 expenditure, it's far from an $11 million one. Nobody has ever produced any evidence for the claim of an eight-figure endorsement payment to Beyoncé since the claim that it was '$10 million' began spreading last year among Trump supporters on social media. Fact-check websites and PolitiFact looked into the '$10 million' claim during the campaign and did not find any basis for it. The White House did not immediately respond to a CNN request late Saturday for any evidence of Trump's $11 million figure. When Trump previously invoked the baseless figure, during an interview in February, he described his source in the vaguest of terms: 'Somebody just showed me something. They gave her $11 million.' A Harris spokesperson referred CNN on Saturday to a November social media post by Beyoncé's mother Tina Knowles, who called the claim of a $10 million payment a 'lie' and noted it was taken down by Instagram as 'False Information.' 'When In Fact: Beyonce did not receive a penny for speaking at a Presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harrris's (sic) Rally in Houston,' Knowles wrote. A spokesperson for Beyoncé told PolitiFact in November that the claim about a $10 million payment is 'beyond ridiculous.' What Trump wrote Sunday Trump revived the false claim in a social media post published after midnight early Sunday morning in Scotland, where he is visiting. He wrote that he is looking at 'the fact' that Democrats 'admit to paying, probably illegally, Eleven Million Dollars to singer Beyoncé for an ENDORSEMENT.' Democratic officials actually reject the claim of an $11 million payment. The White House did not immediately respond to CNN's request for any evidence of a Democratic admission of such a payment. Trump went on to criticize other payments from the Harris campaign to organizations connected to prominent endorsers. He asserted without evidence that these payments were inaccurately described in spending records. And he wrongly asserted that it is 'TOTALLY ILLEGAL' to pay for political endorsements, though no federal law forbids endorsement payments. Trump concluded: 'Kamala, and all of those that received Endorsement money, BROKE THE LAW. They should all be prosecuted! Thank you for your attention to this matter.' Trump has repeatedly called for the prosecution of political opponents. His Saturday post about Harris and celebrity endorsements was an escalation from a post in May, when he said he would call for a 'major investigation' on the subject but did not explicitly mention prosecutions.
