“They smiled to his face and stabbed him backstage” – Stephen Colbert FACES STUNNING BACKLASH after on-air slip-up ignites outrage and confirms CBS will CANCEL his show in 2026 – insiders reveal late-night betrayal years in the making

The crowd laughed—but CBS executives didn’t. Stephen Colbert’s recent off-script remark during a live taping might’ve seemed like a joke, but industry insiders say it sealed his fate. The fallout was swift: ratings nosedived, internal memos leaked, and longtime allies reportedly turned cold. Now, with the network confirming his show will end in 2026, fans are stunned. How did one of late-night’s biggest names end up blindsided by the very system he trusted? Was this truly just about one moment—or is there a deeper rot in the late-night world?

Find out what really happened behind the curtain—before the truth disappears.

Stephen Colbert‘s fellow late-night hosts are showing their support following the news that CBS has decided to cancel The Late Show after more than 30 years. The final broadcast will air in May 2026.

Jimmy Kimmel, host of ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, was the first to comment on the shocking development, reposting a clip of Colbert’s announcement to his Instagram story with the caption “Love you Stephen. F–k you and all your Sheldons CBS.”

Jimmy Fallon, host of NBC’s The Tonight Show, chimed in with words of support the next morning. “I’m just as shocked as everyone,” he wrote in an Instagram story. Stephen is one of the sharpest, funniest hosts to ever do it. I really thought I’d ride this out with him for years to come. I’m sad that my family and friends will need a new show to watch every night at 11:30. But honestly, he’s really been a gentleman and a true friend over the years, going back to The Colbert Report, and I’m sure whatever he does next will be just as brilliant.”

Seth Meyers, host of NBC’s Late Night, also offered his support on social media, writing: “For as great a comedian and host he is, @StephenAtHome is an even better person. I’m going to miss having him on TV every night but l’m excited he can no longer use the excuse that he’s ‘too busy to hang out’ with me.”

Andy Cohen, host of Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live!, weighed in during a red carpet interview with our sister site Deadline. “I think it’s a sad day for late-night television,” he said. “I think it’s a sad day for CBS. I think Stephen Colbert is a singular talent.”

And this isn’t merely the end of Colbert’s tenure as the host of The Late Show — it’s the end of the franchise overall, which began in 1993 with David Letterman as host. Colbert broke the news to his distraught audience at Thursday’s taping, with the announcement being met by loud boos from the crowd. “Yeah, I share your feelings,” he admitted candidly.

In a statement, CBS said, “This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”

It’s worth mentioning that Paramount, CBS’ parent company, just paid $16 million to settle a lawsuit that President Donald Trump filed over a 60 Minutes interview with Trump’s opponent Kamala Harris, which he accused 60 Minutes of deceptively editing.

What’s your reaction to the news of The Late Show‘s cancellation? Drop ’em in a comment below.