It’s the end of a late night era.
“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” will air its final episode tonight. Though “The Late Show” dates back to 1993, Colbert has been the host since 2015, when he took over for original host David Letterman.
CBS announced “The Late Show”s cancellation in July 2025, stating it was “purely a financial decision.”
“We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire ‘The Late Show’ franchise in May of 2026,” CBS executives’ statement read. “We are proud that Stephen called CBS home. He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late night television.”
‘the late show’ finale: what to know
- When: May 21, 11:35 p.m. ET
- Channel: CBS
- Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)
The final weeks of “The Late Show” has featured star-studded lineups, including Oprah Winfrey, Letterman, former president Barack Obama, “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart, and Bruce Springsteen. Colbert also welcomed four current late-night hosts — Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver — to the Ed Sullivan Theater as the show entered its last two weeks.
When is the last ‘Late Show with Stephen Colbert’?
The series finale of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” is tonight, May 21, at 11:35 p.m. ET.
How to watch ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ series finale for free
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to watch Colbert’s final show for free
DIRECTV is our favorite service for watching live television for free — and its five-day free trial includes CBS among 90+ live channels. When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $59.99/month for one of DIRECTV’s premium streaming packages.
You can also watch “The Late Show” live on Paramount+ with the Premium Plan, which costs $13.99/month after a seven-day free trial that you can only take advantage of if you subscribe via Prime Video.
Who are the guests on the final episode of ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’?
Both CBS and Colbert have stayed quiet regarding “The Late Show”s final guests and no announcement has been made ahead of the broadcast.
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This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The celebrity.land in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
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