CBS announced last month that it would not just be ending Colbert's run on the network but retiring the venerable Late Show franchise as a whole after the 2025-26 broadcast season, calling the divisive decision a "purely financial" one "against a challenging backdrop in late night."

The comedian has had a lot to deal with in recent weeks following the news that CBS was cancelling The Late Show. On July 17, Colbert told his viewers that the long-running late-night show had been dropped, with its final ever episode set to air in May 2026.

During a July 17 taping, Colbert announced the cancellation of The Late Show. Colbert, who took over from David Letterman as host in September 2015, said he was "grateful" for being given a chair and a "beautiful theater to call home," as well as his viewers from "all around the world."