what happened to stephen colbert show

Stephen Colbert's "The Late Show" on CBS is ending in May 2026 after 10 years on the air. CBS announced the cancellation as a financial decision amid a challenging late-night TV environment, unrelated officially to the show's content or performance. The decision marks the conclusion of the "Late Show" franchise, which has been running for 33 years in total (22 years under David Letterman and 11 years under Colbert). The cancellation was announced shortly after CBS's parent company, Paramount, settled a $16 million lawsuit with former President Donald Trump, leading to speculation about possible political influences due to Colbert's vocal criticism of Trump. Colbert shared the news with his audience during a taping, expressing his disappointment and gratitude, while the audience reacted with boos and groans. Despite the cancellation, "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" recently won the Emmy for Outstanding Talk Series for the first time in its history, just months before its planned end. The show's ending has sparked political and public controversy, with some politicians and industry figures calling for transparency and investigation into the reasons behind the cancellation. In summary, the show is ending primarily due to financial reasons in the broader late-night TV landscape, but the timing and context have raised questions about possible political motivations tied to recent legal settlements involving CBS and Trump.