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16m ago

CBS to End The Late Show With Stephen Colbert in May 2026

Bipartisan lawmakers and the Writers Guild have called for investigations into whether Paramount’s Trump settlement and pending Skydance merger influenced the cancellation

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 07: Jon Stewart attends “The Daily Show” official Emmy Screening presented by Comedy Central at Linwood Dunn Theater on June 07, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)
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Overview

  • CBS announced it will retire The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in May 2026, citing challenging economics in network late-night programming.
  • Insider reports show the series was losing over $40 million annually despite ranking second in ratings among broadcast late-night franchises.
  • Colbert’s on-air critique of Paramount’s $16 million settlement with President Trump prompted allegations that the payout amounted to a bribe and cast doubt on CBS’s stated motives.
  • Senators Elizabeth Warren and Adam Schiff, joined by the Writers Guild of America, have demanded probes into whether political factors tied to the Trump agreement or the $8.4 billion Skydance merger influenced the network’s decision.
  • Paramount Global’s pending $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media awaits FCC approval, heightening scrutiny of whether regulatory considerations shaped the cancellation.