Stephen Colbert is reportedly having a tough time finding his footing after CBS pulled the plug on The Late Show, leaving the longtime late-night host heartbroken and unsure about what comes next.
Colbert, 62, stepped out of the spotlight after The Late Show came to an end on May 21. Before disappearing from public view, he gave fans no clear sign of his next career move, fueling speculation about whether he plans to return to television at all.
Behind the scenes, sources claim the TV veteran has been frustrated, emotional and deeply rattled by the sudden turn in his career.
An insider told Hollywood columnist Rob Shuter, who writes on Substack, “This wasn’t just a job – it was his identity. Stephen poured everything into that show. Losing it has hit him hard.”
For Colbert, The Late Show was more than a hosting gig. He took over the iconic CBS program on September 8, 2015, with George Clooney and former presidential hopeful Jeb Bush appearing as guests on his debut episode.
Before that, Colbert became a household name on Comedy Central, where he hosted The Colbert Report for nearly a decade and built a loyal following with his sharp political humor and signature deadpan style.
But now, those who know him professionally say they have not heard much from him since the CBS finale. According to the report, Colbert has been left “heartbroken” by the end of the show that defined such a major chapter of his life.
It remains unclear when, or even if, he will make a return to television.
Colbert’s somber mood was reportedly noticeable when he attended Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s July 3 wedding, where he was among a crowd of A-list guests.
According to attendees, the normally upbeat comic appeared “unusually subdued and miserable” at the high-profile event. Even surrounded by celebrity guests, celebration and nonstop buzz, Colbert allegedly struggled to put on a happy face.
A source said, “He’s always been the one holding everyone else together. Now he’s the one who needs time. He’s stepped away to figure out what comes next.”
Even as Colbert wrestles with the end of his CBS run, The Late Show is still getting a final moment in the spotlight.
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert earned an Emmy nomination for the 2026 awards after its final season, giving the program one last shot at industry recognition.
The show will compete for Outstanding Variety Series against The Daily Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, and Saturday Night Live.
The category comes after the Emmys merged Outstanding Talk Series and Outstanding Scripted Variety Series into one new race. The change created a brutal lineup of some of the biggest names in television.
The Emmy Awards are scheduled to air September 14 on NBC and Peacock at 8 p.m. EST.
Meanwhile, CBS appears to have felt the impact of Colbert’s exit almost immediately.
The network faced swift backlash from the entertainment world after The Late Show ended, with several stars publicly praising Colbert and defending his place in late-night television. Even direct competitors, including Jimmy Kimmel and John Oliver, spoke up in support of the former CBS host.
The ratings told their own story.
On CBS’ first night without Colbert, the replacement program, Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed, brought in just 628,000 total viewers, according to Nielsen data. That marked a sharp 65% drop in the time slot compared with the previous year.
With Colbert gone, many viewers seemed to turn to his late-night rivals instead.
On June 1, when Jimmy Kimmel returned to television, Jimmy Kimmel Live! drew 2.185 million total viewers, a 53% increase. That same night, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon brought in 1.301 million viewers, a 10% boost.
For now, Colbert’s next act remains a mystery. But after nearly a decade behind The Late Show desk — and years before that shaping political comedy on The Colbert Report — insiders say walking away has been anything but easy.
For Stephen Colbert, this was not just the end of a TV show. It was the end of an era.
