The end of an era is approaching as The Late Show with Stephen Colbert prepares to go dark on CBS after an unforgettable run. But before the show bids farewell, Colbert’s fellow late-night hosts are joining him for one final, star-studded reunion.
On Monday, May 11, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver will make a special appearance, marking a reunion of their podcast Strike Force Five, launched in 2023 amid the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike. The podcast, which raised funds for the crew members of Jimmy Kimmel Live, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, The Late Show, The Tonight Show, and Late Night with Seth Meyers, stands as a symbol of solidarity during a challenging time for late-night TV.
Adding to the emotional farewell, Colbert’s predecessor, the legendary David Letterman, will return on Thursday, May 14. Letterman, who retired in 2015, handed over the reins of The Late Show to Colbert and has been a key figure in late-night history.
But the departure of Colbert from CBS is not just about nostalgia. CBS made the decision to cancel The Late Show in 2025 for what they cited as “financial reasons.” However, the timing raised suspicions, especially considering it coincided with CBS’ parent company, Paramount, paying a hefty $16 million settlement to Donald Trump. With Colbert being a vocal critic of the former president, some have speculated that the network may have let Colbert go to appease Trump.
Letterman, never one to shy away from expressing his thoughts, blasted the network, calling the reasoning for Colbert’s cancellation a “lie.” In a fiery interview, he said, “The people selling the network to Skydance said, ‘Oh no, there’s not going to be any trouble with that guy.’” He didn’t hold back, adding that the network executives were “lying weasels.”
Despite the controversy surrounding the cancellation, Colbert remains hopeful for a graceful exit, reflecting in a recent interview, “It’s possible that two things can be true… Broadcast can be in trouble. I don’t have any desire to debate them over their business model… but less than two years before they called to say it’s over, they were very eager for me to be signed for a long time. Something changed.”
Colbert’s final episode will air on May 21, 2026, marking the end of an era. The late-night slot will be filled by Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen after Colbert’s departure.
This historic farewell is not just about Colbert’s legacy but a reflection of the changing landscape of late-night television.
