Jimmy Kimmel to Air Rerun on Final Night of Stephen Colbert's Late Show

Jimmy Kimmel has decided not to compete with the final episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The last episode of the CBS program is scheduled to air on Thursday, May 21. LateNighter reported that Kimmel told the site his ABC show will air a rerun that evening out of deference to Colbert's sendoff.

The move has precedent. Kimmel chose not to air a new episode in 2015 opposite David Letterman's final show as host of The Late Show.

Background on the Cancellation CBS announced last July that it would cancel the long-running Late Show. The network described the host as irreplaceable and said it would retire the franchise, citing a financial decision tied to declining ad revenues for late-night television.

In the months following the announcement, Colbert criticized CBS and its parent company, Paramount Skydance. The cancellation came days before the Trump administration approved the company's merger with David Ellison's Skydance. CBS staffers claimed the decision was a continuation of events that began with the company's settlement.

The network maintained that the choice was based solely on financial considerations.

After leaving late night, Colbert will write a new Lord of the Rings film. The Independent has approached Kimmel and Fallon for comment.