CBS will end "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" and retire "The Late Show" franchise in May 2026, the company announced Thursday.

In the week after CBS/Paramount cancelling "The Late Show," Stephen Colbert repeatedly hit back — with backup from his rivals and David Letterman.

Fox News host Greg Gutfeld is the ratings king of late night with 3.1 million average viewers, despite what Stephen Colbert may be telling his audience.

With the hosts Merv Griffin, Pat Sajak, David Letterman and Stephen Colbert, CBS has taken many runs at late-night TV. Some were more successful than others.

And it's not just him who's leaving. "This is all just going away," the comedian, 61, told his appalled audience, explaining that he's not being replaced, but the show will air its final episode in May.

"CBS Mornings" co-host Tony Dokoupil took exception to the liberal outrage over CBS' cancellation of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," citing political and financial factors.

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.

In Chicago's West Pullman neighborhood, a late-night basketball league is bringing much more than friendly competition.