If you missed the finale, here’s where you can still stream the final episode and farewell week.
Stephen Colbert has officially wrapped his final episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, closing out an 11-year run and bringing an end to one of the most recognisable franchises in American late-night television.
The final episode aired Thursday, May 21, with CBS choosing to retire The Late Show completely rather than replace Colbert with a new host.
Originally launched in 1993 with David Letterman, the show became a major fixture of network television before Colbert took over in 2015.
To send things off, the show stacked its final week with appearances from Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, John Oliver and Letterman himself, alongside guests including Jon Stewart, Steven Spielberg, David Byrne and Bruce Springsteen.
CBS first announced the cancellation back in July 2025, citing financial pressures and the shrinking economics of traditional late-night television. Rather than continue the format with another host, the network decided to retire The Late Show name entirely.
Where to watch The Late Show finale
If you missed the live broadcast, the final episode and farewell week are still available online across a few different platforms.
Paramount+
The full finale episode is currently streaming on-demand through Paramount+.
Premium subscribers can watch immediately, while ad-supported Essential tier users gained access from May 22.
The Late Show YouTube Channel
If you only want the highlights, the official YouTube channel has uploaded the final monologue, celebrity farewell clips and selected segments from the final week for free.
It’s probably the easiest option if you mainly want the big moments without sitting through the full episode.
Live TV streaming services
Viewers using services like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV or FuboTV can also access the finale through on-demand libraries or cloud DVR recordings if they had the show saved.
CBS will now replace Colbert’s 11:35 p.m. slot with Comics Unleashed hosted by Byron Allen, marking a pretty major shift away from the traditional late-night format that dominated American TV for decades.
