When it was announced in 2014 that Stephen Colbert would succeed David Letterman as host of the CBS “Late Show,” reaction was mixed. Letterman, who retired after helming the talk show for 22 years, had a loyal audience. At that point, Colbert was best known for playing a satirical version of himself on Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report.”

The end of the 'Late Show' franchise is a major blow for a once-beloved TV format, which has lost relevance and advertising dollars.

CBS will end "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" in 2026, marking the latest shakeup in a late-night landscape increasingly strained by streaming, politics and shrinking profits. The network cited financial pressures facing traditional late-night programming,