CBS ends "The Late Show" May 21, replacing it with Byron Allen's "Comics Unleashed," raising questions about viewer retention and affiliate station losses.
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CBS is ending "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" on May 21 after an 11-year run, a decision that poses significant risks to the network's late-night audience and its affiliate stations.
The network announced in July 2025 that it would cancel the program due to financial reasons as first-run ratings continued to decline. Despite the ratings drop across the late-night genre, "The Late Show" had remained the number-one talk show in its time slot for several years before cancellation.
Starting May 22, CBS will air "Comics Unleashed With Byron Allen" in the 11:35 p.m. ET slot, a comedy panel show featuring stand-up comedians and jokes rather than celebrity interviews and musical performances. The network is selling the time slot to Allen under a time-buy arrangement, meaning CBS is leasing the slot rather than producing original programming itself.
The shift represents a departure from traditional late-night talk show formats. "Comics Unleashed" will air back-to-back half-hour episodes Monday through Friday, with "Funny You Should Ask" filling the 12:35 a.m. slot. Allen, 65, is a veteran comedian and owner of Allen Media Group.
For CBS affiliates, the cancellation creates uncertainty about audience retention. Local stations have relied on "The Late Show" to drive viewership into their late-night programming blocks, and the transition to a different format and host may affect their ability to retain Colbert's audience. The extent to which viewers will follow the network to "Comics Unleashed" remains unclear, potentially impacting affiliate revenue from advertising in those time periods.
This marks the second major late-night exit for CBS in recent years. "The Late Late Show" ended two years ago and was replaced by "After Midnight," which also concluded recently. The pattern of cancellations raises questions about whether CBS intends to continue original late-night programming at all.
David Letterman, the former host of CBS's "Late Show," commented on the replacement, suggesting the network's decision reflected cost-cutting measures. "They don't want to spend any money," Letterman said regarding the shift to Allen's program.
The uncertainty extends beyond the immediate transition. While CBS has announced that "Comics Unleashed" will take over Colbert's slot, it remains unclear whether this arrangement is temporary or permanent. Industry observers have noted that the future of late-night television on CBS and across the broadcast networks remains in question as viewership patterns continue to shift.
Colbert, 62, stated that he is not being replaced as host and that "The Late Show" is ending entirely rather than continuing with a new anchor. The final episode will air Thursday, May 21, at 11:35 p.m. ET/PT without competition from other late-night hosts, who have coordinated their schedules around his farewell.
Allen and Colbert have maintained cordial relations despite the transition. Allen revealed that Colbert texted him with well-wishes, and the two had breakfast together in September 2025 at the Emmy Awards, where they discussed the upcoming change.
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