CBS Announces Replacement for 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert'

The Late Night With Stephen Colberthas found its successor.

Comics Unleashed With Byron Allen will take over the network’s 11:35 p.m. time slot on May 22. The talk show will then be followed by another series produced by Allen, a comedy game show Funny You Should Ask, at 12:35 a.m.

“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 by picking up our two-hour comedy block of Comics Unleashed and Funny You Should Ask, because the world can never have enough laughter.”

Comics Unleashed first premiered in 2006 and Funny You Should Asked, hosted by Jon Kelley, premiered in 2017. Comics Unleashed had previously had a limited run on CBS from 2023 t0 2024 after The Late Late Show With James Cordon came to an end. The show then returned to CBS for the 2025-2026 to take over After Midnight With Taylor Tomlinson.

Allen’s upcoming arrangement with CBS is unique as The Hollywood Reporter explained that he is buying airtime from the network in exchange that his company, Allen Media Network, can sell any available advertising spots during Comics Unleashed and Funny You Should Ask.

CBS had announced in July 2025 that the Late Show franchise would come to an end and cited the decision as “purely a financial” one.

“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert will end its historic run in May 2026 at the end of the broadcast season,” CBS said in a statement at the time. “We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire The Late Show franchise at that time. We are proud that Stephen called CBS home. He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late night television.”

The statement continued, “This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”

Colbert addressed the cancellation during a taping at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York.

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 told the audience.

Colbert continued, We get to do this show for each other, every day, all day, and I’ve had the pleasure and the responsibility of sharing what we do every day with you in front of this camera for the last 10 years. “Let me tell you, it is a fantastic job. I wish somebody else was getting it. And it’s a job that I’m looking forward to doing with this usual gang of idiots for another 10 months. It’s going to be fun.”

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