Stephen Colbert may be wrapping up his time as the host ofThe Late Show with Stephen Colbertafter CBS announced the long-running talk show would no longer be airing, but his next gig shows the network was wrong to cancel his late-night show. Colbert took over as the host ofThe Late Showin 2015.
He became the new host of the late-night talk show after David Letterman retired, originally signing a five-year contract. Colbert then renewed two more three-year contracts, with the last expiring in 2026. In July 2025,CBS announced it was endingThe Late Show,thus putting Colbert out of a job.
However, it didn’t take long for Colbert to line up his next gig. After plenty offan outrage atThe Late Show’s cancellation, Colbert has landed a temporary job on a different CBS show. Clearly, CBS should not have canceledThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Stephen Colbert Will Be A Guest Star On Elsbeth
Colbert is set to guest star onElsbethseason 3. Although Colbert has acting experience, from shows likeGirls5EvatoThe Office, he won’t need to do much acting for this role.Colbert will be playing the host of the fictional late-night showcalledWay Late with Scotty Bristol.
Beyond the character’s job title,we don’t know much about Colbert’s involvement withElsbeth. Whether Colbert will be a recurring guest star or simply in one episode is yet to be seen. It’s also unclear which episode Colbert will appear in, and whether that outing will be towards the beginning or the end of the season.
Stephen Colbert’s New Role Proves People Want Him As A Late-Night Host
CBS claimsThe Late Showfranchise getting canceled was a financial decision. However, some fans and public figures have wondered if the show’s axe is actually due to arecently settled lawsuit involving CBS’s parent company, Paramount, and President Donald Trump. This theory has also sparked fear aboutthe fate of other late-night shows.
According toLate Nighter,The Late Show with Stephen Colbertgot the most views in its timeslotand was the only late-night show to increase its viewership between quarters one and two. It’s hard to imagine how a show with so many viewers wouldn’t have enough money to keep going.
Given Colbert’s impressive viewership and the fact that he’ll be returning to CBS as a fictional host, it’s clearThe Late Show with Stephen Colbertnever should have been canceled. Colbert should remain the late-night fixture he is, explaining the news in a comedic way. With Colbert on the air until 2026, there’s still time to renew the show.
