Access Hollywood

Stephen Colbert is speaking out on the shocking cancellation of "The Late Show." The TV host acknowledged that the long-running talk franchise will wrap its three-decade run in May 2026, sharing on the July 17 broadcast that the news was a surprise to him too, as he'd only found out less than 24 hours earlier. The audibly stunned crowd didn't hold back when responding with boos, and Colbert noted that the decision just isn't about his exit but the show's as a whole. "I'm grateful to you, the audience, who have joined us," he shared. "I'm grateful to share the stage with this band, these artists over here every night. And I am extraordinarily, deeply grateful to the 200 people who work here. We get to do this show for each other every day, all day, and I've had the pleasure and the responsibility of sharing what we do every day with you in front of this camera for the last 10 years." Though the "Late Show" was the top-rated network program in its time slot and nominated for an "Outstanding Talk Series" Emmy just days earlier, CBS executives shared in a press release that the cancelation was "purely a financial decision." Fans and celebrities reacted to the news across social media, with many pointing out that CBS' parent company Paramount Global recently agreed to pay President Trump $16 million as a settlement in his lawsuit that claimed "60 Minutes" had misleadingly edited its interview with Kamala Harris during the 2024 election. Colbert had called the settlement a "big, fat bribe" in an on-air monologue days before the cancelation went public. And Trump weighed in on the "Late Show" news with a celebratory Truth Social post the following morning, writing in part, "I absolutely love that Colbert got fired," adding, "I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert!" » SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiKGMZZmZXK-RpbKJGXgH3Q?sub_confirmation=1 » Visit Our Website: http://accessonline.com Get More Access : Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/accesshollywood/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/accesshollywood Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/accesshollywood/ #AccessHollywood #StephenColbert #DonaldTrump "Access Hollywood" is an entertainment news show featuring Mario Lopez, Kit Hoover, Scott Evans, and correspondent Zuri Hall. From exclusive celebrity interviews to breaking news and reality TV drama, we have all the celebrity news you need to know.