Stephen Colbert recalls telling staff and audience of The Late Show cancellation in emotional moment

Stephen Colbert has shared how he broke the news of The Late Show’s cancellation to his staff and audience, describing it as one of the most difficult moments of his career.

Speaking during a joint appearance with Jimmy Kimmel, Colbert explained that he first learned the news on July 16 from their shared manager, James Dixon. Unsure of when to tell his team, Colbert said his wife encouraged him to address it the following day.

“We get into the building,” Colbert recalled. “I go up the elevator, I walk through the offices. By the time I get to my offices, I have sweat through my shirt because I didn’t want to know anything my staff didn’t know.”

Initially, he told only executive producer Tom Purcell before recording the night’s show as planned. Afterwards, he asked the audience and staff to remain for “one more act.” His stage manager resisted, noting the taping was complete, but Colbert insisted.

He gathered the staff on Zoom to break the news privately before returning to the stage to address the audience. “I was so nervous about doing it right — because there was nothing in the prompter, I was just speaking off the cuff — that I messed up twice,” he admitted.

According to Colbert, the audience initially thought it was part of a comedy bit, chanting encouragement as he stumbled over his words. “Then I got to the sentence that actually told them what was happening, and they didn’t laugh,” he said.

Colbert’s Late Show run will conclude in May 2026, marking the end of the programme’s 30-year history on CBS.