Stephen Colbert pours cold water on possibility of return to late-night TV

Published September 16, 2026 7:58am ET | Updated September 16, 2026 7:58am ET



Ousted CBS television host Stephen Colbert told Jimmy Kimmel on Wednesday that he is not thinking about returning to the late-night airwaves, in an interview months after his show formally ended.

Colbert hosted his last episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in May, nearly one year after CBS and its parent company, Paramount, announced that they would be canceling the comedian’s show for financial reasons. On Monday evening, his show won six Emmy Awards during the 78th annual primetime television awards, the most Emmys Colbert’s show has won in any of its 11 seasons.

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