CBS has recently announced the cancellation of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," with the final episode scheduled for May 2026, marking the end of a 33-year franchise that began with David Letterman in 1993.

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.”