TV Corner Notes: A Late Night Shocker

An Era Ends, and So Does the Show That Defined It

Talk about ending the week on a shocker.

In an era where late-night transitions are usually carefully orchestrated, Thursday’s announcement from Stephen Colbert took a wildly unexpected turn: not only is The Late Show ending in May 2026, but CBS has confirmed there will be no new host and no future version of the show.

This sudden decision is particularly shocking given The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has led the late-night ratings for nearly a decade. Colbert revealed the news during a taping, and CBS quickly followed with a statement praising him and his team—but also framing the cancellation as a tough financial call during a “challenging late-night landscape.”

Of course, there's more to the story. The announcement comes on the heels of Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Donald Trump over a 60 Minutes interview Colbert later skewered on air. He even joked that the payment seemed like “a hefty fat bribe.” It’s hard not to connect the dots when this decision arrives just as Paramount seeks regulatory approval for its pending merger with Skydance Media.

Whether it's coincidence or corporate damage control, one thing’s clear: this marks the end of a major chapter not just for CBS, but for late night as a whole.

It's genuinely hard to picture the television landscape without The Late Show. Since 1993, it’s stood as a cultural counterweight to The Tonight Show, producing unforgettable moments across hosts—from Letterman’s sardonic brilliance to Colbert’s political firepower. Without a successor in place, CBS may revert to reruns and movies post-local news, echoing their 1990 strategy after The Pat Sajak Show folded.

But beyond nostalgia, this moment raises bigger questions. Is this the beginning of the end for traditional late-night shows? Are streaming and shifting viewer habits making the nightly talk format obsolete? Or is this simply a uniquely political and corporate casualty?

I’m honestly stunned. And a little worried.

What do you think? Are you surprised by CBS’s move? Do you believe finances were the real reason—or is there more to the story? Let me know in the comments.