Stephen Colbert’s – CBS will end The Late Show after May 21, and Colbert’s final weeks will feature rival hosts, Broadway performers and David Letterman.
Stephen Colbert is nearing the end of his long run on CBS, and in his final two weeks on “The Late Show,” the lineup is turning into something closer to a live public farewell than a typical television schedule.
Colbert’s producers have invited his fellow late-night hosts to appear together in a show of solidarity, an event one TV writer called a chance to make “Late Night history.” TV Guide’s Matt Roush said the plan is to bring multiple friendly rivals to Colbert’s desk during the closing stretch.
Among the hosts expected to join him are Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon, along with Seth Meyers and John Oliver.. The idea is not being framed as competition. but as a gathering of the same late-night community that has shared experiences over the years—especially when the industry was forced to pause during the pandemic.
Roush tied the current gesture to a bond that was formed earlier in the decade. saying the hosts were part of a “Strike Force 5” podcast created during COVID. when late-night shows were shut down.. He added that their collaboration included raising money for crews who were out of work. a reminder of how production teams and behind-the-scenes staff remained at the center of the industry’s response.
This time. the solidarity is also arriving with a harder reality: CBS plans to end “The Late Show” after the May 21 episode. a decision the report said is rooted in financial reasons after 33 years on the air.. For fans and peers. the announcement lands less like routine programming churn and more like the end of an era built over decades of late-night staples.
Roush said he is still struggling to accept the timing and the explanation. describing it as something he cannot quite process even though the network has cited financial concerns.. The sense of disbelief reflects how long “The Late Show” has been woven into American TV habits. even as the broader media landscape has shifted.
Broadway performers are also expected to join the farewell in Colbert’s remaining days. extending the moment beyond late-night talk itself.. The prospect of stage stars appearing underscores the show’s recurring relationship with performers who often bridge entertainment worlds. from theater to television.
A previous anchor of the late-night circuit is also scheduled to visit during the week. Roush said David Letterman is expected to stop by the theater where he reigned for roughly 23 seasons, with the visit framed as another historic moment tied to the venue’s legacy.
The references to the building’s past run deeper than a single host’s tenure.. The report noted that the theater previously was known as the Ed Sullivan Theater. where the Beatles and many other acts entertained viewers on Sunday nights—an anchor memory for generations that associate the space with American pop culture milestones.
With Colbert’s departure, the question quickly turns to what comes next for the historic Broadway-linked venue. Roush said he does not know how the space will be used after Colbert leaves, but he expressed confidence that such a landmark location would not simply sit unused.
For many viewers. the final weeks are likely to carry an added emotional weight because “The Late Show” has served as both a weekly ritual and a platform for public goodbyes when TV eras end.. When rival hosts treat the final run as a shared stage moment. the message is that late-night has always been about more than any single desk—it has been about an ecosystem of performers. writers. and crews.
The network’s financial explanation may be familiar in modern television. but the timing still signals how difficult it has become for legacy formats to remain unchanged.. As CBS moves to close the chapter after May 21. the industry’s relationships—like the ones formed during the pandemic and sustained through collaborations—will likely be tested in new ways.
Meanwhile. the presence of multiple generations of late-night talent—from current hosts to Letterman—adds a historical continuity that feels intentional.. It suggests that the final episodes are being designed not just as goodbyes. but as a public record of how late-night TV has evolved while staying rooted in a few familiar institutions. including the theaters that once defined mass entertainment on television.
Stephen Colbert The Late Show CBS late-night TV Jimmy Kimmel David Letterman Broadway performers