Stephen Colbert Gives Honest Thoughts on His Show Ending

Stephen Colbert has been one of the most talked-about people in the media for quite some time. However, this became increasingly true after it was announced that “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” had been canceled. Now, he’s opening up about the unexpected career change.

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Colbert interviewed with GQ in November 2025. Regarding “The Late Show” ending, Colbert said, “Listen, every show’s got to end at some time. And I’ve been on a bunch of shows that have ended sometimes by our lights and sometimes by the decision of other people.”

He continued, “And that’s just the nature of show business. You can’t worry about that. You got to be a big boy about that. But I think we’re the first number one show to ever get canceled.”

Colbert Is Also Embracing the Career Change

The discussion continued, and the interviewer mentioned how long Colbert has “been attaching [his] mouth to the exhaust pipe of news.”

The “Late Show” host joked and then said, “‘You’ve been running your car in the closed garage of media for 20 years, are you getting a little woozy?’ Yeah, I’m getting a little woozy. Listen, it’s possible that George Cheeks [at the time, co-CEO of Paramount and the president and CEO of CBS] saved my life. I’ll get a little oxygen back into my brain.”

He continued, “I love what we do, and I love the grind. You can only do one of these shows, do the jokes every night, year after year, for 20 years, if you give a damn at all about what you’re talking about. And I do. But there is a sense of relief that I might not have to put on the snorkel and get into the sewer every day.”

The Announcement Came in July

Colbert began his tenure on “The Late Show” in September 2015. He famously took over after David Letterman retired, having started the series in August 1993. However, according to E! News, it was announced in July 2025 that CBS was canceling the long-running series.

Colbert told his audience that night, “It’s not just the end of our show, but it’s the end of The Late Show on CBS. I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away.” This decision is notable because it’s customary for late-night hosts to be replaced, rather than the network canceling the shows.

Following the news, many celebrities spoke out in support of Colbert. Additionally, he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Series in September 2025.