Will CBS Keep Stephen Colbert On Air Until May?

CBS announced last summer that it would air the final episode of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" in May 2026. But questions remain about whether Colbert and CBS can finish out the final few months of the contract.

This week, Colbert and the network engaged in a public back-and-forth over an interview with Texas Democrat James Talarico that did not air on CBS.

On Tuesday, Colbert responded to a statement that the network published denying that it blocked him from conducting the interview with Texas Democrat James Talarico, which eventually aired only on YouTube.

"I said my piece last night. We made some jokes, it's what they pay me for, and I was ready to let the whole thing go. Until a few hours ago, when my group chat blew up because, without ever talking to me, the corporation put out this press release. This statement," he said, holding a piece of paper with CBS' comments. "Now, this is a surprisingly small piece of paper considering how many butts it’s trying to cover."

The statement claimed that "THE LATE SHOW was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview with Rep. James Talarico." It added that the show was provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal time rule and was given options on how to proceed.

Colbert says he was not presented with those opinions. He adds that there were no issues when he hosted Jasmine Crockett, against whom Talarico is running, on his show twice.

'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.' (Photo by Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images)

Earlier this week, the late-night host tied the supposed intervention to new federal guidance about equal time for political candidates, which affects all programs on broadcast television, including late-night comedy shows.

"So, we obeyed our network and put the interview on YouTube, where it’s gotten millions of views. And I can see why. Talarico’s an interesting guy. I don’t know if he should be the senator, but it was a good discussion. I wish we could have put it on the show, where no one would have watched it," Colbert added.

While the facts about what Colbert was told remain murky, the public drama has become so awkward that it was even a topic on CBS’s morning show on Wednesday.

For what it's worth, Colbert has little to lose by fighting back against his soon-to-be former bosses. He has continued to blame President Trump for his cancellation and could try to use that narrative as he explores his next opportunity. He wants to be a martyr.

In fact, heightened tensions with CBS may only strengthen his standing in Hollywood circles, where opposition to the current administration remains marketable.

For Colbert, staying on CBS through the final date benefits his brand. It gives him nightly opportunities to push back against a network moving in a more conservative direction than he and his allies consider acceptable.

But aside from the guaranteed money for a show that reportedly costs CBS tens of millions of dollars a year in losses, CBS has no incentive to keep him on the air until May.