CBS Cancels The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Just 3 Days After Colbert Called Parent Company Paramount's $16M Trump Settlement a 'Big Fat Bribe'

CBS has canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert conscionable a fewer days aft Colbert criticised the network’s genitor company, Paramount, for its high-profile colony with President Trump.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert ends successful May 2026 and The Late Show volition discontinue wholly aft a 33-year tally successful what CBS insisted was a “purely a fiscal determination against a challenging backdrop successful precocious night.”

The quality deed conscionable days aft Colbert criticised Paramount for settling a suit with Donald Trump for $16 cardinal implicit the president’s assertion that CBS News deceptively edited an interrogation with the then-presidential campaigner Kamala Harris.

And it’s besides worthy noting that the settlement, and the announcement of the extremity of The Late Show, travel amid Paramount’s bid to get its $8.4 cardinal merger with Skydance Media implicit the enactment (this is the aforesaid merger that’s causing South Park truthful overmuch trouble). The transaction needs regulatory support from the Trump administration, and Trump is often the butt of Colbert’s jokes.

CBS has canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Photo by Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images.

Colbert, who has hosted the amusement for the past decade, called the colony “a large abdominous bribe" during an occurrence aired earlier this week. He announced the cancelation during Thursday night’s recording. “Yeah, I stock your feelings,” helium said amid boos from the audience. “It’s not conscionable the extremity of the show, it is the extremity of The Late Show connected CBS. I’m not being replaced, this is each conscionable going away.”

The announcement sparked disapproval from assorted quarters online. Senator Adam Schiff, a Democrat who appeared arsenic a impermanent connected Thursday night’s show, aboriginal took to societal media to say: “If Paramount and CBS ended the Late Show for governmental reasons, the nationalist deserves to know. And deserves better.”

On the show, Schiff said Trump had created a "climate of fear."

“He wants to marque the instrumentality firms afraid,” Schiff said. “He wants to marque universities afraid. He wants to marque immigrants afraid. He wants to marque citizens afraid. He wants to marque quality organizations, CBS and Paramount afraid. He wants to marque ABC afraid. And helium is succeeding.”

Senator Elizabeth Warren, who has called for an probe into Paramount Global’s narration with Trump implicit the Skydance merger, wrote: “CBS canceled Colbert’s amusement conscionable THREE DAYS aft Colbert called retired CBS genitor institution Paramount for its $16M colony with Trump — a woody that looks similar bribery. America deserves to cognize if his amusement was canceled for governmental reasons.”

Fellow speech amusement big Jimmy Kimmel expressed enactment for his adjacent successful a station connected Instagram, saying: "Love you Stephen. F*ck you and each your Sheldons CBS."

Here’s the prepared associated connection from George Cheeks, co-CEO of Paramount Global and President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS, Amy Reisenbach, President, CBS Entertainment, and David Stapf, President, CBS Studios:

“This is purely a fiscal determination against a challenging backdrop successful precocious night. It is not related successful immoderate mode to the show’s performance, contented oregon different matters happening astatine Paramount.

“Our admiration, affection, and respect for the talents of Stephen Colbert and his unthinkable squad made this agonizing determination adjacent much difficult. Stephen has taken CBS precocious nighttime by tempest with cutting-edge comedy, a must-watch monologue and interviews with leaders successful entertainment, politics, quality and newsmakers crossed each areas. The amusement has been #1 successful precocious nighttime for 9 consecutive seasons; Stephen's drama resonates regular crossed integer and societal media; and the broadcast is simply a staple of the nation’s zeitgeist.

“The accomplishments of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert are memorable and important successful performance, prime and stature. With overmuch gratitude, we look guardant to honoring Stephen and celebrating the amusement implicit the adjacent 10 months alongside its millions of fans and viewers.”

Photo by Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images.

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].