Stephen Colbert will sign off on his “Late Show” for the final time tonight.
The New York City-based late-night show will end for good after almost 11 years, following the final episode tonight.
Colbert took over “The Late Show” in 2015 for David Letterman, who hosted the show from 1993 to 2015. Rather than replacing Colbert with a new host, CBS announced last July that it was cancelling the show entirely.
There has been a star-studded list of guests throughout the last two weeks of “The Late Show,” including Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Jon Stewart and Letterman to show their support and to send Colbert off on a high note.
Here is everything you need to know about the finale episode of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and how to watch.
When will ‘The Late Show’ finale episode air?
The finale episode of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” will air tonight, May 21, at 11:35 p.m. ET on CBS.
CBS promoted the finale as an “extended” episode, according to LateNighter, but it is not clear how long the episode will run. The show typically ends at 12:37 a.m. ET.
How to watch ‘The Late Show’ finale
The final episode of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+ at 11:35 p.m. ET.
Which guests are scheduled for ‘The Late Show’ finale?
CBS has not revealed the guest list for “The Late Show” finale. Though the company sent out a list of the guests scheduled for the final week of the show, it does not list any names under the May 21 show. It simply says “‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ Series Finale.”
Why did CBS cancel Colbert’s ‘The Late Show’?
Following CBS’s announcement of “The Late Show’s” cancellation in July, Paramount, the parent company of CBS, released a statement at the time emphasizing that the cancellation was “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night” and was “not related in any way to the show’s performance, content, or other matters happening at Paramount.”
However, this decision sparked much skepticism and accusations that it was to appease the Trump administration during the merger between Paramount and Skydance, which has since been completed.
What will replace ‘The Late Show’?
CBS announced on April 6 that “The Late Show’s” 11:35 p.m. slot will be filled with “Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen” after the final May 21 episode.
The comedy talk show, hosted by Byron Allen, originally premiered in 2006 and currently airs on CBS immediately after “The Late Show.”
According to the network, CBS will air back-to-back, half-hour episodes of “Comics Unleashed” Monday through Friday starting on May 22. Back-to-back episodes of the comedy game show “Funny You Should Ask,” also produced by Allen, will fill the 12:37 a.m. time slot.
“I created and launched ‘Comics Unleashed’ 20 years ago so my fellow comedians could have a platform to do what we all love — make people laugh,” Allen said in a statement. “I truly appreciate CBS’ confidence in me by picking up our two-hour comedy block of ‘Comics Unleashed’ and ‘Funny You Should Ask,’ because the world can never have enough laughter.”
What will Colbert do next?
In March, Colbert announced that his next move will be to write a new “Lord of the Rings” movie with his screenwriter son. In a video announcement with director Peter Jackson, Colbert said he didn’t think he’d have time to write the movie before his show’s cancellation.
“I knew I couldn’t do that and do this show at the same time, but it turns out, I’m going to be free starting this summer,” Colbert said, adding, “So if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to finish a television show, and I’ve got to write a movie script, but I will see you all in The Shire.”
Contributing: USA TODAY
—Madison Scott is a New York Connect reporter, covering entertainment, breaking and consumer news, and trending topics with a focus on stories that matter to readers across New York state. She also has an interest in how the system helps or doesn’t help families with missing loved ones. She can be reached at MDScott@USATodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Stephen Colbert’s final ‘Late Show’ airs tonight. Here’s how to watch
Reporting by Madison Scott, New York Connect Team / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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