Stephen Colbert bids farewell in final 'Late Show' broadcast on CBS
Washington DC, May 22
Stephen Colbert closed the final episode of 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' with a star-filled goodbye.
The last episode aired on Thursday, May 21, and featured several surprise appearances from Colbert's celebrity friends, PEOPLE said. The host began the show with his usual funny take on the day's news before Bryan Cranston interrupted his opening monologue.
Bryan Cranston interrupted Colbert's opening monologue and asked to be part of the show. Colbert jokingly told him that the guest list was already full. Cranston then walked out of the theatre and threw his Late Show hat into the crowd.
Paul Rudd also appeared on the show and brought Colbert a retirement gift -- six bananas. Tim Meadows was also seen nearby, hoping to get a chance to appear on the show.
Comedian Tig Notaro was present in the audience and joked that she did not want to be on the show. She said she only liked attending "historic events." Ryan Reynolds also made a surprise appearance and handed bananas to the keyboard player in Colbert's band.
Colbert also joked that Pope Leo XIV, whom he wanted as a guest, had cancelled because the hot dogs were bad.
The biggest moment of the night came when Paul McCartney appeared as the final guest. He gave Colbert a framed colour photo of The Beatles from their 1964 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, which was filmed in the same theatre.
The episode also featured a "wormhole" segment with Jon Stewart, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, John Oliver, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel and Elijah Wood.
Elvis Costello and Jon Batiste later joined Colbert for a musical performance. Batiste was the show's first bandleader and musical director from 2015 to 2022.
After Colbert said good night, McCartney and the other musicians returned to perform The Beatles' "Hello, Goodbye."
Meanwhile, several late-night hosts, including Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon, either aired reruns or skipped their broadcasts to keep the focus on Colbert's farewell.
Colbert took over The Late Show from David Letterman in 2015. He announced on July 17, 2025, that CBS had cancelled the show after 30 years on air. The network had called it "purely a financial decision."
CBS had said the show was cancelled due to financial pressure in traditional broadcast television. However, critics and Colbert himself had hinted at possible political reasons after his criticism of Paramount over a reported USD 16 million legal settlement involving Donald Trump.
After the end of the show, Colbert is now turning his focus to screenwriting. He is co-writing the upcoming The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past with filmmaker Peter Jackson, writer Philippa Boyens and Jackson's son Peter McGee.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert first premiered in 2015 and went on to become one of the most watched late-night talk shows in the United States.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Never understood the hype around American late-night shows. We have our own comedy legends like Kapil Sharma and Zakir Khan. But I respect Colbert's craft - the way he balanced sarcasm with sincerity. That Beatles photograph gift was truly special. Now he's writing LOTR? Wait, what? 🤯
The financial excuse for cancellation feels like a cover-up. Colbert was one of the few mainstream hosts who questioned Trump's legal issues. CBS should have backed him, not shut him down. Democracy needs more voices like his, not fewer. That said, the farewell episode was a masterclass in class and humor. 🎭
As an American living in Bangalore for 5 years, I can tell you Colbert meant more to us than most Indians realize. His "truthiness" concept is basically what we deal with daily in Indian news. The wormhole segment with all those hosts was hilarious! Sad to see him go, but excited about his LOTR project.
I've been following Colbert since his Colbert Report days. His character was brilliant satire of right-wing pundits. But the Late Show felt less edgy, more corporate. Still, that finale was wholesome - especially Paul McCartney gifting the Beatles photo in the same theatre where they performed in '64. Cinema history, yaar! 🎬
Can we talk about how all other late-night hosts skipped their shows to let Colbert have the spotlight? That's real respect. Meanwhile in India, our TRP wars mean everyone keeps fighting for screen
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.