Legendary Late-Night Show Ends After 33-Year Run

In a shocking development, CBS has announced that The Late Show will be retired in May 2026, bringing an end to the iconic late-night program's 33-year run. The news was met with disbelief from the show's longtime musical director, Paul Shaffer, who served as David Letterman's sidekick for the entirety of the host's tenure on both NBC and CBS.

Shaffer, who was interviewed at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, described the decision as "absolutely shocking" and expressed uncertainty about the future of late-night television. He noted that Stephen Colbert, the current host of The Late Show, had been "absolutely number one" in the ratings, suggesting the cancellation was not due to the show's performance.

The veteran bandleader speculated that the move could signal the end of the traditional late-night talk show format, as he believes people will increasingly turn to online platforms for their entertainment. "I wouldn't be surprised if those doom-sayers that are saying it signifies the end of the Late-Show-type-of-thing, you know, late night television, it's over," Shaffer said.

Despite the show's impending conclusion, Shaffer took pride in the longevity of his partnership with Letterman, which spanned an impressive 33 years across both NBC's Late Night and CBS' The Late Show. "No one ever got that far. No one did it for as long as we did, 33, and maybe now they won't. They may not get to," he remarked.