NEWSDavid Letterman Backs Stephen Colbert After CBS 'Late Show' Cancelation
David Letterman stood by Stephen Colbert after his late-night show was canceled.
July 23 2025, Updated 8:03 a.m. ET
In a notable display of support, David Letterman is backing Stephen Colbert after CBS announced the cancelation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
On Monday, July 21, the legendary host shared a compilation video on YouTube highlighting his own years as host of the iconic late-night program from 1993 to 2015. The caption drew a bold line, stating, "You can't spell CBS without BS."
David Letterman dropped a YouTube video highlighting his hosting run.
David Letterman called 'BS' on The Late Show's cancelation.
Fans quickly rallied in the comments section, praising Letterman's witty remark. "Letterman should come back to Colbert's show and ridicule CBS with a new Top Ten list for cancelling it," one user suggested, while another chimed in, "Dave's social team once again on point. Hat tip to you all!"
Colbert, 61, confirmed the cancelation during a taped episode on Thursday, July 17, revealing that CBS would end The Late Show after the 2025-2026 season. "Before we start the show I want to let you know something that I found out just last night," he shared. "Next year will be our last season; the network will be ending The Late Show in May."
His announcement met with resounding boos from the audience.
Colbert resonated with their sentiments, acknowledging, "It's not just the end of our show but it's the end of The Late Show on CBS. I'm not being replaced. This is all just going away."
He did, however, take a moment to express gratitude to CBS and the audience for their support throughout the years.
In response to the outcry following the cancelation, CBS executives clarified their decision was purely "financial." They emphasized it wasn't tied to the show's performance, content or any issues at Paramount.
CBS said the cancelation was due to ‘financial’ reasons only.
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"Our admiration, affection, and respect for the talents of Stephen Colbert and his incredible team made this agonizing decision even more difficult. Stephen has taken CBS late night by storm with cutting-edge comedy, a must-watch monologue and interviews with leaders in entertainment, politics, news and newsmakers across all areas," CBS stated.
David Letterman hosted 'The Late Show' from 1993 until 2014.
As the news reverberated through the late-night scene, fellow hosts like Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers quickly voiced their support for Colbert. John Oliver also shared his thoughts.
"Obviously, I love Stephen, I love his staff, I love that show — it's incredibly sad. I'm partly excited to see what they're gonna do for the next 10 months. It's terrible, terrible news for the world of comedy," Oliver said.
Stephen Colbert's pals all supported him.
In a show of solidarity, Fallon, Meyers, Oliver, Jon Stewart, Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper joined Colbert's audience on the July 21 episode, signaling that the late-night community stands united during this momentous change.
