Fellow late-night host Jimmy Kimmel blasted CBS over its decision to cancel “The Late Show,” and Jimmy Fallon said that he was “shocked” by the move. “Love you Stephen,” Kimmel, 57, wrote on his Instagram Story on Thursday night. “F–k you and all your Sheldons CBS.”

Fans, political figures and fellow late-night hosts seemed stunned Thursday night when comedian Stephen Colbert announced that CBS would be ending The Late Show in May 2026, with many questioning what pushed the network and its parent company, Paramount Global, to make the decision.

Stephen Colbert shocked his audience and late night fans, announcing CBS had decided to cancel his long-running show. “The Late Show” is the most-watched late night talk show on television, but it is expensive to produce and has faced declining ratings.

In 1993, he started working as a writer-producer on Late Night with David Letterman, which aired on NBC. Burnett ultimately made the move to CBS with Letterman when The Late Show was picked up at that network.

"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," a staple of late-night US television, will end in 2026, the CBS network said, days after the comedian blasted parent company Paramount's $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump as "a big fat bribe.

Jimmy Kimmel gave a salute to “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” — and blasted rival network CBS — on Thursday evening, hours after CBS announced that it is canceling Colbert’s series in May 2026 and retiring the “Late Show” brand. “Love you Stephen,” Kimmel wrote on his Instagram story, captioning a clip of Colbert’s …

Great ratings and brand recognition weren’t enough to save the long-running franchise.

CBS could not figure out a path to profitability in an entertainment world increasingly dominated by streaming.