McCartney closes – Paul McCartney ended Stephen Colbert’s final “Late Show” on Thursday, May 21, performing “Hello, Goodbye” at New York’s Ed Sullivan Theater—fusing Beatles history with a joyful goodbye. The moment also featured Colbert, musical guest Elvis Costello, and leader
Paul McCartney didn’t just appear for the final minutes of Stephen Colbert’s “Late Show.” On Thursday. May 21. he took the stage at the Ed Sullivan Theater and turned the end of the night into something the audience could feel in real time—singing “Hello. Goodbye” as Colbert joined in the background.
McCartney’s performance immediately landed as a TV classic: a Beatles standard delivered in the same room that once carried the young band to America. The Ed Sullivan Theater had hosted the Beatles’ legendary “The Ed Sullivan Show” performance on February 9, 1964.
The energy stayed big and communal. Musical guest Elvis Costello, former band leader Jon Batiste, and current band leader Louis Cato helped lead The Great Big Joy Machine band through the rousing rendition.
That musical moment is now on YouTube, giving viewers a way to replay what played on-air as “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” officially wrapped.
Before the performance. McCartney sat down with Colbert to talk through his storied career and revisit the feeling of returning to the Ed Sullivan Theater. “I just remember the girls in the balcony,” McCartney said. When some women yelled from the crowd, McCartney pointed toward them and added, “Not you.”.
The conversation also turned to the upcoming Beatles biopic movies directed by Sam Mendes, including the casting of Paul Mescal as young McCartney. Colbert asked, “Who’s cuter? Young Paul McCartney or Paul Mescal?” McCartney answered with confidence: “Me.”
After Colbert and McCartney took the stage back at the theater to join McCartney. Cato. Costello. and Batiste in “Hello. Goodbye. ” the program didn’t just end onstage. The episode transitioned into a prerecorded backstage moment where McCartney helped Colbert turn off the lights of the Ed Sullivan Theater—an unannounced final gesture for a show that had spent years making television feel like a conversation.
Paul McCartney Stephen Colbert Late Show finale Hello Goodbye Ed Sullivan Theater Beatles biopic Sam Mendes Paul Mescal Louis Cato Jon Batiste Elvis Costello
That’s wild, I didn’t even know Colbert was ending already. Hello Goodbye tho feels like a perfect song for it.
So wait McCartney just like… turned off the lights at the theater? Kinda creepy if you think about it lol. But also kinda wholesome.
I saw the headline and thought they were talking about Ed Sullivan like the guy from the 60s died or something? But it’s the theater name. Anyway Paul McCartney saying “not you” to the girls in the balcony?? That’s either hilarious or rude, I can’t decide.
This was probably the only good thing about late night lately. Also they said Elvis Costello was there but I swear I heard somewhere it was like a different rocker? And the Beatles biopic thing with Sam Mendes… Paul Mescal as young McCartney? I don’t see it at all, sorry. Still, hearing Hello Goodbye in the Ed Sullivan Theater is kinda iconic, even if I don’t fully get why they’re acting like it’s the same as the 1964 show.