CBS said in a statement that it was “purely a financial decision.” The show launched with Colbert as host, executive producer and writer a decade ago.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end in May 2026, the CBS television network announced in a surprise statement on Thursday. The move "is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night [television]," and "is not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters," CBS said.

Colbert confirmed the cancellation during a show taping on Thursday. CBS said the move was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night."