'Fired and festive': 'Late Show' host Stephen Colbert bows out
Published: 05:05 PM,May 23,2026 | EDITED : 09:05 PM,May 23,2026
CBS is set to air the final episode of The Late Show on Thursday, ending a 33-year run of the iconic US late-night institution. The cancellation comes after CBS faced criticism for a $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump over allegations of misleading editing in an interview with his political rival Kamala Harris. Host Stephen Colbert called the payment a “big fat bribe”, intensifying speculation about the network’s motives.
CBS maintains the decision is purely financial, despite the show’s strong ratings in its time slot. The move also comes as CBS parent company Paramount seeks approval for its $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. Around the same period, CBS appointed journalist Bari Weiss to lead its news division, drawing attention to shifts in editorial direction.
Colbert, who has hosted the program since 2015, appeared increasingly reflective in recent weeks. Accepting an Emmy last year, he remarked that “you only truly know how much you love something when you get a sense you might be losing it”. Fellow late-night hosts Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers and John Oliver visited the show to pay tribute during its final stretch, underscoring Colbert’s influence in US comedy.
Tensions between late-night television and political figures have been high, with President Trump frequently attacking comedians and media outlets. He has repeatedly targeted Colbert personally, calling him a “pathetic trainwreck” who should be “put to sleep”. Meanwhile, ABC briefly suspended Jimmy Kimmel in 2025 following controversy over remarks about conservative activist Charlie Kirk, further fuelling debates about media pressure and free speech.
Colbert rose to fame through The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report before becoming host of CBS’s flagship late-night show, where he shed his satirical persona for a more personal style. In recent weeks, he has auctioned show props to support charity and hinted at future creative work, including writing for a new Lord of the Rings film.
The final broadcast remains tightly guarded, though former host David Letterman returned for a special segment. Standing on the Ed Sullivan Theatre roof, Letterman summed up the moment: “You can take a man’s show. You can’t take a man’s voice”. — AFP