In just a few short days, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will be coming to a (highly controversial) end.
After nearly 11 years on the air, beginning in September of 2015, CBS' second iteration of the Late Show format (following David Letterman's original) will be saying goodnight for the final time.
Not only will it be the end of Stephen's own tenure as the host, but also the conclusion of the Late Show format altogether, with CBS announcing in July 2025 that they would be retiring the Late Show brand.
The announcement came with heaps of controversy, with much of the backlash aimed at the network's dubbing of the move a "financial decision" given the show's consistent ratings success. Several also called it a political move, tied to the Skydance-Paramount merger and Stephen's critical view of President Donald Trump.
In the lead up to the Late Show's conclusion, here are all the details you need for the final episode, from the logistics to its replacement, and how other late night hosts are honoring Stephen Colbert…
© Getty ImagesWhen does the final Late Show air?
The final episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will air at 11:35 PM EST on Thursday, May 21, aka a week from today.
The show will air as usual on CBS, and for those unable to watch it on the network, clips become available on YouTube soon after. You can also watch them with a Paramount+ subscription.
© Getty ImagesWho are the guests on the final episode of The Late Show?
So far, the guest line-up for the final night hasn't been revealed, in an effort to keep details of the big finale under wraps. Although several notable guests have or are making appearances on the show in the lead-up to its conclusion.
Pedro Pascal and Julia Louis-Dreyfus appeared on the show on May 12 (each planting a kiss on the late night host), followed by Tom Hanks and the day after and David Letterman to close out the week on May 14. The other most popular late night hosts, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and John Oliver, all stopped by on May 11. Which brings us to…
© Getty ImagesHow are other late night hosts supporting Stephen Colbert?
Despite the inherent competition between them for ratings and audience viewership, the boys of the late night club (otherwise known as "Strike Force Five") have become close friends, even playing on their rivalries for comic effect on various occasions.
And they'll be honoring him on the big night as well. Both Jimmys (Kimmel and Fallon) will be going dark the night of the final Late Show episode on May 21, with both The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel Live! not producing new episodes for the time slot on their networks (NBC and ABC respectively).
© Getty ImagesWho is replacing Stephen Colbert?
With the Late Show format being shelved altogether, the 11:35 PM time slot will instead go to Byron Allen's Allen Media Group, starting May 22, 2026.
Two of his syndicated comedy shows will take over that slot, with Comics Unleashed With Byron Allen airing at 11:35 PM, followed by the comedy game show Funny You Should Ask at 12:35 AM.
© Getty ImagesWhat is Stephen Colbert doing next?
While the late night host hasn't announced a new move for the TV space, he does already have other work in the pipeline. He shared in March that he is currently co-writing a script for a new Lord of the Rings movie, tentatively titled Shadow of the Past, with Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens, and his son Peter McGee.
