After Stephen Colbert’s Post-Cancellation Late Show Emmy Win, His Wife’s Red Carpet Praise Is Even More Meaningful

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Despite his personal and professional life being turned upside-down in recent weeks, due to CBS cancelling The Late Show in August, Stephen Colbert was all smiles on the night of the 2025 Emmy Awards (which we live-blogged). Those happy faces started up before the telecast did, as he and wife Evelyn McGee-Colbert walked the red carpet in anticipation of the talk show’s fate in the Outstanding Talk Series category.

The comments made by the late night host’s spouse during their interview on E!’s red carpet preview were not only extremely kind in the moment, but they felt even sweeter after Colbert’s Late Show crew did indeed win the Emmy hours later, near the end of the telecast airing on CBS (and streaming via Paramount+ subscription).

Here’s what she said when asked by Zuri Hall what has left her most in awe by her hubby’s accomplishments:

I think the way he’s such a great leader, the kindness with which he runs his show. They are 200 friends, and they love each other so much. And I don’t think anybody has a sense of what it’s like there unless you’re backstage. They work for each other in a beautiful way. It’s a great group.

Not that Colbert’s wife and late night night squad members are the only ones who have his back these days. The comedian scored a lot of goodwill after the cancellation news broke, from fellow late night hosts like Jimmy Kimmel to Colbert’s former co-star Bob Odenkirk’s kind words. And when he took the stage to present the first Emmy of the night on Sunday evening, he scored a giant crowd pop, and it marked the night’s first standing ovation.

Stephen Colbert Did Indeed Thank His Wife On Stage

After Bryan Cranston announced The Late Show‘s name as the winner for Outstanding Talk Series, the crowd once again exploded as Colbert and a slew of Late Show employees took the stage in celebration. (Which didn’t help the ongoing countdown clock for acceptance speeches, but that ended up not being a factor.)

While sharing his appreciation, Colbert shared:

Personally, I want to thank my beautiful, brilliant wife Evie, who’s the brains of the outfit.

The host then went on to thank his kids in the same loving way, and McGee-Colbert could be seen in the crowd laughing with tears welling up in her eyes. They’re just too cute.

While this marked the first Emmy wins for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, it’s technically possible for the show to return next year for another big win, months after its final episode on CBS. But that’ll require its 11th and final season to go just as hard as the previous one, and without the cancellation news sparking a heated interest with voters.

Find out for yourself how new episodes are faring by tuning into CBS on Mondays-Thursdays at 10:35 p.m. ET.