politics
CBS to Replace Stephen Colbert's Late Show with Byron Allen's Comics Unleashed
CBS will end The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on May 22, 2026, and replace it with Byron Allen's syndicated program Comics Unleashed. The network said the move follows annual losses of $40 million in the time slot.
May 21, 5:00 AM·1m read1 source
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M. time slot. The network said it lost $40 million a year on the show as audiences have shifted to streaming platforms. 7 million in 2017, according to Guideline data.
The Late Show lost 20 percent of its audience in the 18-to-49 age group since 2022, Nielsen data showed. Former network executive Ted Harbert said digital clips on YouTube have reduced live viewership of full episodes. Allen Media Group will pay CBS for the time slot, cover production costs, and sell advertising. m. hour since October.
Kimmel said at a Disney upfront presentation that CBS is turning the slot into one least likely to offend the White House. CBS executives have said they plan to develop a new network program for the time period after the one-year lease to Allen. Daniel Kellison, a former producer for Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Late Show with David Letterman, said the genre must adapt to changing viewer habits while still serving audiences interested in politics and current events.
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