Colbert Announces the End of The Late Show
During a taping on July 17 at the Ed Sullivan Theater, Stephen Colbert announced that The Late Show will end after this season. Colbert told the audience, “Next year will be our last season,” adding, “It’s not just the end of our show, but it’s the end of The Late Show on CBS. I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away.” The audience responded with boos, and Colbert admitted, “Yeah, I share your feelings.”

CBS Cites Financial Reasons
CBS attributed the decision to budget concerns, stating, “This is solely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not connected in any way to the show’s performance, content, or other occurrences at Paramount.” The network added, “We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire THE LATE SHOW franchise at that time.”

Trump Lawsuit Settlement Raises Eyebrows
Some speculate the decision is linked to Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Donald Trump, which Colbert openly criticized. “It’s not just the end of our show,” he said, hinting at possible political motives behind the cancellation. Though CBS denied this, questions remain.

Political Reactions
Democratic lawmakers questioned the timing. Sen. Adam Schiff said, “If Paramount and CBS terminated The Late Show for political motives, the public has a right to know.” Sen. Elizabeth Warren tweeted, “CBS canceled Colbert’s show merely THREE DAYS after Colbert criticized CBS’s parent company, Paramount, for its $16M settlement with Trump – a deal that resembles bribery.”