Stephen Colbert reacts to his replacement as his The Late Show ends.
Stephen Colbert Breaks Silence on CBS’ ‘Late Show’ Replacement
May 7 2026, Updated 3:24 p.m. ET
Stephen Colbert said he sent Byron Allen a congratulatory message after learning that Allen’s Comics Unleashed will take over The Late Show slot on CBS at 11:35 p.m. after Colbert signs off later this month.
Colbert, who is nearing the end of his 11-year run at CBS, discussed the transition in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. CBS plans to end The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on May 21, wrapping up a franchise that has been part of the network’s identity since David Letterman joined in 1993.
Colbert questions the reason his show was cancelled.
This change gives Allen one of the most recognizable time slots in late-night television, though it will be in a different format from the show Colbert took over from Letterman.
“God bless him. I know Byron,” Colbert said, continuing: “We got to know each other last year. He’s fascinating.”
Colbert mentioned that he wrote to Allen the morning after he learned CBS had chosen Comics Unleashed for the time slot.
“When I found out, I wrote him the next morning and said, ‘Hey, congrats. I heard you got the time. Good for you. Wouldn’t it be nice to drop Mr. Carson a note?’” Colbert said.
Allen has often talked about Johnny Carson’s impact on his careera and he was 18 when he performed on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, becoming one of the youngest comedians to do so.
For Colbert, the Carson mention linked Allen’s new role to the legacy of performers shaped by late-night television.
Colbert refused to compare Comics Unleashed to the type of late-night show CBS viewers have watched for decades and put it simply that: “It’s none of my business.”
The network also plans to air Allen’s game show Funny You Should Ask at 12:35 a.m., giving him back-to-back programs in CBS’ late-night lineup.
Letterman started The Late Show on the network in 1993 after leaving NBC, where he hosted Late Night and his move to CBS transformed the 11:35 p.m. slot into one of television’s most closely watched battlegrounds.
Colbert took over the franchise in September 2015 after ending The Colbert Report on Comedy Central. His CBS show became known for political interviews and more recently, critical of the Trump administration.
CBS said last year that it would retire The Late Show when Colbert’s contract runs out. The network claimed the decision was financial and not related to the show’s performance or changes at Paramount, CBS’ parent company.
David Letterman calls out CBS for excuse behind ending Colbert's show.
This explanation has not stopped discussions about the decision and Letterman recently criticized CBS over the cancellation and questioned the network's public reasoning for ending the show.
CBS has already begun to withdraw from parts of its late-night lineup. The Late Late Show With James Corden ended in 2023, and the network later canceled After Midnight. Colbert’s exit leaves CBS without the traditional late-night talk show format that defined its schedule for over three decades.
Comics Unleashed follows a panel format focused on comedians rather than the usual late-night combination of monologue, desk interviews, and musical guests. The series has been aired in syndication and has appeared on CBS before, but its move to 11:35 p.m. puts it in a much bigger spotlight.