CBS is ending a long-running late night show, citing the “challenging backdrop” in television.

“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” will end on May 26, the network announced.

“We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire “The Late Show” franchise at that time. We are proud that Stephen called CBS home. He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late night television,” the network said in a statement.

The network said the decision “purely…financial” and is not “related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”

On Thursday, Colbert told his audience he was made aware of the news the previous day.

“Before we start the show, I want to let you know something I found out just last night. Next year will be our last season. The network will be ending the ‘Late Show’ in May,” he said.

Met with a chorus of boos, Colbert replied, “I share your feelings.”

“It’s not just the end of our show, but it’s the end of ‘The Late Show’ on CBS,” he said. “I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away. And I do want to say … that the folks at CBS have been great partners. I’m so grateful to the Tiffany Network for giving me this chair and this beautiful theater to call home. And of course I’m grateful to you, the audience, who have joined us every night.”

The cancellation will end years of original late-night programming at CBS that started with David Letterman in 1993. Colbert took over “Late Show” in 2025 after a high-profile stint on Comedy Central, Variety reports.

The news brought out strong feelings from Colbert’s fellow late night hosts.

Jimmy Kimmel blasted the decision via an Instagram post.

“Love you, Stephen. F*** you and all your Sheldons CBS,” Kimmel wrote, referencing CBS’s show “Young Sheldon.”

One person who celebrated the cancellation was President Donald Trump.

“I absolutely love that Colbert got fired,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “His talent was even less than his ratings.”