Stephen Colbert Signs Off ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ With Surprise Guests and Extended Farewell Episode

Stephen Colbert has officially said goodbye to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert after hosting it for 11 years, in a final episode that aired on CBS News reporting.

The farewell show marked the end of a long run for the late-night franchise, which has been on air in different forms for more than three decades. Colbert’s final night was emotional, packed with guests, and ran longer than usual, stretching about 17 minutes past its normal runtime.

In his opening monologue, Colbert reflected on his time on the show and the history of the studio. He said, “There is so much history here in the Ed Sullivan Theater, and we’ve been honored to have been just a small part of it.”

He also spoke about the experience of working on the show for so long. Colbert described the production as something built on teamwork and joy. He said, “We call it the joy machine, because to do this many shows, it has to be a machine. But the thing is, if you choose to do it with joy, it doesn’t hurt as much when your fingers get caught in the gears.”

He added that the people he worked with meant a lot to him. He said, “And I cannot adequately explain to you what the people who work here have done for each other and how much we mean to each other.”

According to CBS News, the final episode featured a large number of surprise appearances from well-known celebrities. Guests included Jon Stewart, Ryan Reynolds, Paul Rudd, Bryan Cranston, Don Cheadle, and scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Other late-night hosts also appeared during the show, including Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver. Kimmel spoke directly to Colbert and said, “We came to say we’re gonna miss you. Late night is not gonna be the same without you.”

One of the biggest surprises of the night came at the end of the show when musician Paul McCartney appeared as the final guest. McCartney performed at the Ed Sullivan Theater, a location with deep history tied to The Beatles’ first American TV appearance in the 1960s.

Before McCartney’s appearance, there had been speculation that even Pope Leo XIV might show up as a final surprise guest, but that did not happen.

The episode also included musical performances from Elvis Costello and Jon Batiste, who returned to the stage where he once served as bandleader for the show.

In the closing moments, McCartney performed “Hello, Goodbye,” and Colbert joined in as the audience filled the stage, turning the ending into a celebration rather than a quiet goodbye.

CBS News reported that CBS decided earlier in the year to end The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as part of a financial decision involving its late-night programming. The network also confirmed that the show had been one of the top-rated late-night programs for several years.

Colbert first took over hosting duties in 2015 after David Letterman retired. His final episode now closes a chapter in modern late-night television, ending a run that included more than 1,800 episodes and a long list of high-profile guests.

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