NEWSStephen Colbert's Replacement for CBS' 'The Late Show' Time Slot Revealed Ahead of Show's Controversial Cancelation
CBS confirmed Stephen Colbert’s time slot replacement.
April 9 2026, Published 10:33 a.m. ET
CBS is officially turning the page on one of late night’s most recognizable franchises in a way few saw coming.
Following the May 21 finale of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, the network will hand over its coveted 11:35 p.m. time slot to media mogul Byron Allen, who will fill the hour with back-to-back episodes of his long-running series Comics Unleashed. The move, first reported by Variety, marks a fundamental shift in how CBS approaches late-night programming.
The End of an Era at 11:35
Byron Allen secured the 11:35 p.m. late-night time slot.
Colbert’s departure closes a chapter that began in 1993 with David Letterman’s debut on CBS. Colbert, who took over in 2015, has since led the show to become the top-rated program in late night.
CBS announced last year that the show would end in May 2026, calling it “purely a financial decision.” Still, the timing raised eyebrows, particularly given Colbert’s outspoken criticism of both President Donald Trump and CBS parent company Paramount Global.
In the days surrounding the cancellation announcement, Colbert had publicly criticized Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Trump, calling it a “big fat bribe.” Trump later responded on social media that he “absolutely love[d]” the news of Colbert’s exit.
Byron Allen Steps In
'Comics Unleashed' will be moved to CBS after Stephen Colbert’s exit.
Allen, founder and CEO of Allen Media Group, has been actively pursuing the 11:35 slot for months. Now, he’s secured it through a time-buy arrangement that runs through the 2026–2027 TV season.
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The network shifted to a time-buy model for late-night.
Under the deal, CBS will no longer produce its own late-night show for that hour. Instead, Allen will pay the network for the airtime and sell advertising himself, flipping the traditional late-night business structure.
“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 in a statement. “I truly appreciate CBS’ confidence in me… because the world can never have enough laughter.”
Allen will also continue to control the 12:37 a.m. slot with his comedy game show Funny You Should Ask, creating a two-hour block of programming entirely produced by his company.
A New Model For Late-Night
The decision marked a major format change at CBS.
Comics Unleashed, which originally aired in syndication from 2006 to 2016 before returning with new episodes, features comedians delivering short stand-up sets around prompted topics. Its format is notably apolitical compared to the commentary that drives Colbert and the wider late-night format.
By leasing out the time slot, CBS is moving from funding an expensive nightly talk show to generating revenue directly from the hour, even if ratings decline. And if CBS proves a profitable late-night model, it could trigger a broader shift across networks.
