Stephen Colbert's Final 'Late Show' Sets Weeknight Record
The Hollywood Reporter • • general
Key Points:
- The final episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert attracted 6.74 million viewers, marking the highest-ever audience for a weeknight episode during Colbert's tenure on CBS.
- This viewership more than doubled the show's recent season average of around 2.4 to 2.7 million viewers but was about half of David Letterman's farewell episode audience of 13.7 million in 2015.
- The finale featured notable guest appearances from Bryan Cranston, Paul Rudd, Tim Meadows, and a closing performance by Paul McCartney, contributing to its strong ratings.
- CBS canceled The Late Show after this season due to economic challenges, with Byron Allen's Comics Unleashed set to replace it in the 11:30 PM slot under a time-buy agreement.
- Despite strong traditional TV ratings, digital viewership on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Reels highlights shifting audience habits impacting late-night programming strategies.