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When is the last Late Show with Stephen Colbert episode?

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Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

In January 2026 Stephen Colbert announced that the last episode of his long-running and highly rated talk show, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, would air on May 21, 2026. In July 2025 CBS announced that the show would be canceled after finishing the 2025–26 season and no new version would replace it. Although the network claimed it was “purely a financial decision,” many commentators suggested that Colbert’s frequent criticism of the second administration of Pres. Donald Trump had played a role.