Stephen Colbert says farewell to "The Late Show": "We were lucky ...
Stephen Colbert hosted "The Late Show" for the final time Thursday night as the franchise came to an end after 33 years.
www.cbsnews.comattended the May 22, 2026 finale, Paul McCartney joined Paul McCartney; the closing moment showed the Ed Sullivan Theater swallowed by a wormhole, inside a snow globe motif; the broadcast featured Strike Force Five members and a musical moment, as Colbert critiqued corporate influence in entertainment; it marked the end of a 33-year CBS late-night era for Colbert. There were appearances by Strike Force Five members and a musical moment, and the program also spotlighted Colbert's critique of corporate influence in entertainment; the finale echoed a famous TV finale motif with the theater frozen in a snow globe, signaling the end of an era for CBS late-night.