The TV market is used to its justifiable share of cancellations, however the 2025 TV schedule has been fairly an attention-grabbing minefield of surprises. The newest (and definitely essentially the most surprising) was CBS’ abrupt cancellation of The Late Present, which is able to see Stephen Colbert sunsetting this system for good in Might 2026.
The corporate has stood by its determination on the grounds of it being a “monetary determination,” however personalities like Bravo host Andy Cohen aren’t satisfied – and assume it’s an indication of a larger downside forward. Throughout a latest episode of Sirius XM’s Andy Cohen Reside, the person himself weighed in on the recent button difficulty that has riled up followers and supporters of Mr. Colbert. Noting the significance of The Late Present’s legacy on its dwelling community, Cohen began dissecting the difficulty thusly:
I feel it’s potential that it is dropping cash and sometimes what would occur if a present is dropping cash that can also be tremendous vital to the community … what they might in all probability do is say, ‘Hear, Stephen, your present is dropping X sum of money a yr. There’s two issues we might do. We might lower the funds in half, perhaps transfer out of the Ed Sullivan Theater, do the present in a small studio that we already personal,’ as a result of CBS has numerous studio house.
Getting additional into his dialogue on potential price slicing measures, Andy Cohen went even additional by suggesting another strikes to tighten the metaphorical purse strings, similar to staffing cuts. Regardless of The Late Present employees’s ideas on the cancellation, one might presume that some present would have been higher than no present in any respect.
The Watch What Occurs Reside host even introduced up The Tonight Present’s shift to four-episode weeks as one other tactic that might have stemmed the bleeding. Exhibiting additional frustration with the state of affairs, Andy Cohen moved into this alternate state of affairs, which to him is the proof that CBS is “cooked”:
Or they might say, ‘Stephen, by the top of the yr, we have to make these cuts and we’ll provide you with one other yr, however we need to provide you with one other yr or two with all these cuts after which we’re gonna see we’re gonna lower our losses and if you happen to wind up, you already know, dropping X quantity, no matter.’ As an alternative they’re turning the lights out fully at 11:30, which says to me, it is like CBS is simply cooked. I imply, you bought, it is simply, it’s cooked. They’re saying, ‘We’re accomplished.’
Between the cancellations of The Late Present with Stephen Colbert in addition to After Midnight’s sunsetting this previous June, CBS’ late evening equipment is successfully accomplished. Neither present has a substitute, leaving two very long time fixtures within the historical past books. Andy Cohen understands this, and on a bigger scale Jimmy Kimmel’s feedback on late evening’s future comprehend this shift as nicely.
That will not cease the laughter, and it definitely will not cease the present…at the very least for an additional 10 months. You may see that spirit on this clip from final evening’s The Late Present, the place Mr. Cohen and his chat present brethren took half in a really topical gag on the matter:
Watch On
Whereas late evening hosts proceed to react to the information, and CBS’s alleged monetary losses proceed to lift questions, we’ve reached the start of one other finish of an period. For now, The Late Present with Stephen Colbert will play on, till it ends in Might 2026. Which suggests you may nonetheless see the person of the hour do his factor, weeknights at 11:35pm ET on CBS.