what happened with stephen colbert

Stephen Colbert's longtime show, "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," is ending in May 2026 after a decade on the air. CBS announced the cancellation citing budgetary and financial reasons against the challenging late-night TV environment, though many believe the decision was politically motivated due to Colbert's outspoken criticism of former President Donald Trump and CBS's settlement with Trump concerning a lawsuit related to a "60 Minutes" segment. Colbert confirmed the end of the show during a taping in July 2025 and has expressed his focus on finishing the remaining months strongly without concrete future plans yet. His show has been the highest-rated in its time slot and even won the Emmy for Outstanding Talk Series in September 2025. Despite the cancellation, Colbert and the team will continue producing episodes through May 2026. The decision has sparked public debate over free speech and corporate influence in late-night TV, with the Writers Guild of America and others criticizing the network's motive. Colbert has been publicly grateful for his time on the show and appreciates the support from fans and colleagues as he prepares to end this chapter of his career.