During a July 17 taping, Colbert announced the cancellation of The Late Show. Colbert, who took over from David Letterman as host in September 2015, said he was "grateful" for being given a chair and a "beautiful theater to call home," as well as his viewers from "all around the world."

CBS announced last month that it would not just be ending Colbert's run on the network but retiring the venerable Late Show franchise as a whole after the 2025-26 broadcast season, calling the divisive decision a "purely financial" one "against a challenging backdrop in late night."

The comedian has had a lot to deal with in recent weeks following the news that CBS was cancelling The Late Show. On July 17, Colbert told his viewers that the long-running late-night show had been dropped, with its final ever episode set to air in May 2026.