No, Stephen Colbert Wasn’t Fired – Late Show’s End Explained

Stephen Colbert’s acclaimed The Late Show came to an end on Thursday night, marking the end of the long-running CBS talk show, and despite rumors, Colbert was not fired. Instead, CBS decided to pull the plug on the show itself, ending the decades-long run of The Late Show.

Was Stephen Colbert fired from The Late Show?

No, contrary to what many believe, Stephen Colbert was not fired from The Late Show. CBS decided to cancel the show entirely, thus bringing Colbert’s run to an end. Before Colbert, the show was helmed by David Letterman. Colbert took over the duties in September 2015.

Colbert announced the cancellation in a July 2025 taping.

The cancellation came shortly after the host criticized the network’s parent company, Paramount, over a $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump. In a statement given to PEOPLE, the network claimed that the cancellation is “not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”

The statement further added that it was “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night.”

“Our admiration, affection, and respect for the talents of Stephen Colbert and his incredible team made this agonizing decision even more difficult,” the statement continued, “Stephen has taken CBS late night by storm with cutting-edge comedy, a must-watch monologue and interviews with leaders in entertainment, politics, news and newsmakers across all areas.”

Colbert previously asserted that the network was not replacing him. Rather, The Late Show was coming to an end as a whole.

The days leading up to the conclusion of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert were quite intriguing, with multiple celebrity appearances and some fun gimmicks.

President Donald Trump left a bitter message on his Truth Social account as the show came to an end. “Colbert is finally finished at CBS. Amazing that he lasted so long! No talent, no ratings, no life. He was like a dead person. You could take any person off of the street, and they would be better than this total jerk. Thank goodness he’s finally gone!” Trump wrote.

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