CBS To End Stephen Colbert's 'The Late Show' In 2026, Days After He Called The Trump-Paramount Deal 'A Big Fat Bribe'

CBS has announced the end of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, slated for May 2026, marking the conclusion of the show’s 33-year run.

What Happened: CBS’s decision comes on the heels of Colbert’s criticism of Paramount PARA, CBS’s parent company, for settling a $16 million lawsuit with President Donald Trump. The lawsuit was tied to Trump’s allegations that CBS News had manipulated an interview with then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris, reported Reuters.

Check out the current price of PARA stock here.

The settlement transpired as Paramount was in the process of securing approval for an $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. Colbert labeled the settlement as “a big fat bribe” and stated that the lawsuit was “without merit.”

Meanwhile, CBS stated, “This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”

Colbert, who has been at the helm of the talk show since 2015, expressed his gratitude to the audience and the show’s 200-member crew. He shared the news during Thursday night’s recording, mentioning that he had been notified of the decision the night before.

“It's not just the end of the show, it is the end of the Late Show on CBS. I'm not being replaced, this is all just going away.”

Since Colbert took over from David Letterman, The Late Show has consistently garnered high ratings, often being the highest-rated show in late-night.

Why It Matters: The decision to end The Late Show follows a contentious period for CBS and its parent company, Paramount. The media giant had recently agreed to a $16 million settlement with President Trump over a disputed “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris.

The settlement, which did not include an apology or admission of wrongdoing, was directed to Trump’s future presidential library.

This settlement sparked controversy, with Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) calling for a formal investigation into what she termed a ‘secret side deal’. Her comments came after Trump claimed the agreement was worth significantly more than the reported $16 million.

Warren also criticized CBS’s decision to cancel Colbert’s show just days after he called out CBS’s parent company, Paramount, for its $16 million settlement with Trump. “America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons,” posted Warren on X.

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