Colbert’s Shocking Exit: CBS Unleashes the Unthinkable — New ‘Late Show’ Host REVEALED! Fans Stunned, Is Late-Night TV About to Be Transformed Forever?!The unthinkable has happened. CBS has dropped a seismic bombshell — The Late Show will NEVER be the same again. Stephen Colbert, after years of redefining late-night television, is stepping down, and in his place? A new host so unexpected, it’s leaving fans reeling. The announcement has sent shockwaves through Hollywood, sparking an all-out frenzy among fans and media alike. Who is this mystery figure taking over the throne? Can they match Colbert’s sharp humor, bold insights, and fiery wit? Or is this the end of an era for The Late Show as we know it? Stay tuned, because this new chapter in late-night TV promises to be more dramatic and unpredictable than ever before.

Stephen Colbert‘s days on The Late Show are winding down. His final show in the 11:35/10:35c CBS time slot will air on May 21, and the network has now revealed its plans for that hour moving forward.

Beginning on Friday, May 22, Byron Allen‘s comedy talk show Comics Unleashed will be airing back-t0-back half-hour episodes beginning at 11:35/10:35c on CBS from Mondays to Fridays. Then, for an hour beginning at 12:37a/11:37c on May 22, the comedy game show Funny You Should Ask, hosted by Jon Kelley, will join the CBS late-night lineup from Mondays to Fridays.

“I created and launched Comics Unleashed 20 years ago so my fellow comedians could have a platform to do what we all love — make people laugh,” Allen said. “I truly appreciate CBS’s confidence in me by picking up our two-hour comedy block of Comics Unleashed and Funny You Should Ask because the world can never have enough laughter.”

Both shows are produced by Allen’s Allen Media Group, while he also serves as executive producer on both programs. Per Variety, Allen’s time buy on CBS will run through the 2026 to 2027 TV season. Comics Unleashed has aired on CBS in the 12:37a/11:37c time slot in the past. CBS has not confirmed how much Allen is paying for his time slots on the network.

Colbert took over as host of The Late Show from David Letterman in 2015. In July 2025, CBS announced that The Late Show franchise would end in May 2026 after 33 years, concluding Colbert’s time on the network.

Meanwhile, Allen had been advocating for his show to take over Colbert’s time slot when The Late Show ends. “If they’re looking for a show, my hand is already up,” he said in October 2025, according to Variety. “Fifty years, I’ve been waiting for this moment. Definitely, I’m going for it. I’m investing millions and millions of dollars to prove myself.”