Late-Night TV After Colbert: Five Shows Still Worth Watching in Fall 2026
On May 21, 2025, Stephen Colbert concluded his tenure on The Late Show, marking the end of a CBS legacy that began with David Letterman in 1993. The network announced the show's cancellation in July 2024, citing financial challenges and retiring the Late Show brand. In his final weeks, Colbert welcomed notable guests, including Barack Obama, Jon Stewart, and Bruce Springsteen. The late-night format is facing declining viewership due to the rise of streaming services, leading to budget reductions: NBC cut The Tonight Show to four nights and eliminated the house band for Late Night With Seth Meyers, while CBS canceled After Midnight in 2025. A fall 2026 ranking of late-night programs placed Last Week Tonight With John Oliver at the top, followed by Late Night With Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Daily Show, and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Key facts
- Stephen Colbert hosted the final episode of The Late Show on May 21, ending a CBS franchise that began when David Letterman moved to the network in 1993.
- CBS announced the cancellation the previous July as a financial decision and retired the Late Show name.
- Colbert's final weeks featured Barack Obama, Jon Stewart and Bruce Springsteen, plus a reunion of hosts from the 2023 writers strike.
- NBC reduced The Tonight Show to four nights a week and eliminated the house band on Late Night With Seth Meyers; CBS canceled After Midnight in 2025.
- ABC briefly pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! in September 2025 after a Kimmel monologue about reactions to the killing of Charlie Kirk, following criticism from the FCC chairman; the show returned days later.
- In the first quarter of 2026, Jimmy Kimmel Live! posted total viewership up 31% and the 18-to-49 demo up 41%, while The Daily Show rose 19% in total viewers and 26% in the demo, according to LateNighter.
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon averaged 177,000 viewers in the 18-to-49 demo at 11:35 p.m. in the first quarter of 2026.
- Jon Stewart will host Monday episodes of The Daily Show and serve as executive producer through December 2026, covering the midterm elections; Seth Meyers signed a hosting deal through 2028.
Entities
Artists
- Stephen Colbert
- David Letterman
- Barack Obama
- Jon Stewart
- Bruce Springsteen
- Jimmy Kimmel
- Charlie Kirk
- Jimmy Fallon
- Seth Meyers
- John Oliver
- Ronny Chieng
- Josh Johnson
- Jordan Klepper
- Michael Kosta
- Desi Lydic
- Amber Ruffin
- Jenny Hagel
- Edward R. Murrow
- Andy Kaufman
- Jerry 'The King' Lawler
- Paul Shaffer
- Calvert DeForest
- Bill Murray
- Byron Allen
- Bari Weiss
- Tony Dokoupil
- Jay Leno
- Jimmy Carson
- Robert Plant
- Paul McCartney
- Larry Bird
- Madonna
- Joaquin Phoenix
- Robin Williams
- Vladimir Putin
- Kamala Harris
Institutions
- CBS
- The Late Show
- NBC
- The Tonight Show
- Late Night With Seth Meyers
- After Midnight
- ABC
- Jimmy Kimmel Live!
- The Daily Show
- Comedy Central
- Saturday Night Live
- Federal Communications Commission
- HBO
- Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
- LateNighter
- YouTube
- The Roots
- 8G Band
- Academy Awards
- Paramount
- Skydance
- CBS News
- Netflix
- Ed Sullivan Theater
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
- The David Letterman Show
- Late Night with David Letterman
- The Colbert Report
- My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman
- 60 Minutes
- Time
- Truth Social
- Skydance Media
Locations
- United States
- New York City
- China
- Taiwan