Stephen Colbert is heading back to late-night TV, at least for one night. Jimmy Kimmel announced at the end of his Sept. 10 show that Colbert would be his guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Tuesday, Sept. 15, the night after the Emmys. It’s Colbert’s first late-night appearance since The Late Show With Stephen Colbert ended its run on CBS in May. Kimmel joked that he might even give Colbert the host’s desk.
How The Late Show ended
CBS announced in July 2025 that it would retire the Late Show franchise at the end of the 2025–26 season. The network called it a financial decision and said it had nothing to do with the show’s ratings or content. Colbert responded that he’d finish his final season strong. Kimmel was far blunter and publicly criticized CBS on Instagram.
In the show’s final weeks, Colbert’s fellow hosts, Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and John Oliver, reunited on his stage in a show of support.
A friendship that goes both ways
Kimmel has repeatedly offered Colbert a guest-hosting spot. He told Variety that Colbert felt it was too soon but that the offer stands. The two have also campaigned for each other at the Emmys: Kimmel put up an “I’m voting for Stephen” billboard in 2025, and Colbert returned the favor this year with an Instagram video urging voters to pick Kimmel.
Update: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert won Outstanding Talk Series at the Sept. 14 Emmys, one last win for the show after it went off the air. See our full list of 2026 Emmy winners.
Our take
Colbert’s return as a guest, not a host, feels right. He gets to be back in front of a late-night audience without the pressure of a new show, and Kimmel gets to celebrate a friend in person. It’s also a reminder that in a shrinking late-night world, the hosts have become each other’s biggest supporters.
