SOUTH CAROLINA — CBS canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert despite the program having top ratings, and the broadcast ended its 11-year run on Thursday, May 21, 2026. Colbert was named successor to David Letterman as host of The Late Show in 2015.

Letterman created The Late Show on CBS in 1993 after he was not chosen to succeed Johnny Carson as host of The Tonight Show. He retired from network television in 2015.

Colbert said he initially avoided being overtly topical, newsy, or political in the early days of The Late Show. At the end of 2016, the program featured live broadcasts during the Republican and Democratic conventions and hired Chris Licht as showrunner to handle non-comedy production decisions.

Television host Roy Wood Jr. addressed Colbert's career in a podcast interview. "Stephen Colbert has shown, more so than anyone else of this modern era of late night, the power of sticking to the truth," Wood said. He also addressed Colbert's approach during the current administration. "In fact, he went harder. This is by far the most sensitive administration we've ever had to deal with as comedians. He didn't bat an eye," he said.

Television host Hasan Minhaj described the demands of the format in a podcast interview. "When you're hosting a nightly program, every day is a new moment," he said. Minhaj also assessed Colbert's legacy. "I think Stephen will be known as one of the most brilliant minds to meet the moment in every way he possibly could," he said.

Colbert was raised in South Carolina and studied sketch comedy and satire at Second City in Chicago, where he served as an understudy to Steve Carell. In 1996, Colbert and Carell worked as writers and performers on Dana Carvey's self-titled sketch comedy show.

A few years later, Colbert joined The Daily Show as a correspondent. He developed a stage persona he called a "high status idiot" to mock cable news pundits by amplifying their behavior. He worked with Jon Stewart and other correspondents to create news-driven satire and political commentary that influenced other television programs and performers.

Colbert testified in character before a Congressional subcommittee hearing on farm workers and immigration, and he roasted President George W. Bush at the White House Correspondents Dinner. Over 20 years on two television networks, he has appeared in more than 3,000 television episodes.