Jimmy Kimmel Says CBS Used Made-Up Numbers to Cancel Colbert Show

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel said CBS used inaccurate financial figures when canceling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert last month. Kimmel told New York magazine that CBS claimed the program lost more than $40 million annually, yet the network had offered Colbert a five-year contract extension in 2023.

He questioned how the show could suddenly become unprofitable within two years. Kimmel added that he has been told his own ABC program remains profitable, even though it draws fewer total viewers than the canceled CBS show.

Kimmel signed a one-year deal with ABC in December rather than his usual three-year agreement. He said he is uncertain whether the program will continue past 2027. "Everything is so tumultuous," Kimmel stated.

CBS described the cancellation as a financial decision. The move came as parent company Paramount sought regulatory approval for a merger with Skydance Media. Kimmel said the late-night format is not ending for natural reasons and described the situation as one in which shows are being "poisoned."