Stephen Colbert to Host Letterman, Kimmel, Meyers, Fallon as Late Show Ends
Variety • • general
Key Points:
- Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show” will conclude on May 21 after CBS canceled it last year, with a series of high-profile guests featured in its final episodes.
- On May 11, Colbert will host fellow late-night hosts Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver, who co-hosted the “Strike Force Five” podcast with him during the 2023 Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
- David Letterman, the original host of “The Late Show,” will appear on May 14, marking a symbolic passing of the torch from Letterman to Colbert, who took over in 2015.
- Other notable guests include John Krasinski, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Pedro Pascal, and Tom Hanks, with special segments featuring performances, a “Kids Pitch,” and a “Colbert Questionert” answered by Barack Obama.
- CBS cited financial reasons for canceling the show in July 2025, but many view the decision as censorship linked to Paramount’s efforts to gain FCC approval for a sale to Skydance during Donald Trump’s presidency, with Trump publicly celebrating the cancellation.
