If you expected The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on September 15, 2026, there was no new episode to preempt. CBS had ended the program months earlier: its final broadcast aired May 21, 2026, and the network retired the Late Show franchise. ABC’s national schedule instead listed Stephen Colbert as a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! that Tuesday, although ABC warned that listings could change.
The show had already ended
CBS News reported on July 18, 2025, that CBS would end The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and retire the franchise in May 2026. The network described the decision as “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night.”
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The finale aired Thursday, May 21, 2026. Colbert told the audience, “It’s not just the end of our show, but it’s the end of ‘The Late Show’ on CBS.” That date means the September 15 absence was not a temporary interruption of an ongoing series.
Preemption versus a series ending
| Situation | What it means | What applied on September 15 |
|---|---|---|
| One-night preemption | A current program is displaced for a special, sports broadcast, breaking news or another scheduling change. | Not established. |
| Series ending | The regular program has concluded, so there is no new episode in the normal time slot. | This was the case for The Late Show. |
Calling the September 15 absence “preempted” therefore gives the wrong impression. The program was no longer in production or on CBS’s regular schedule.
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Why CBS ended the program
CBS attributed the decision to finances and the difficult late-night business environment. CBS News also reported that some viewers and critics suspected political motives, but those reactions do not establish the cause. CBS said the decision was not related to the show’s performance, content or other matters at Paramount.
Where Colbert was scheduled that night
ABC’s schedule published September 11, 2026, listed Stephen Colbert as a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! for Tuesday, September 15. The schedule covered the week of September 14–18 and gave the program an 11:35 p.m. Eastern weeknight slot. ABC explicitly said its listings were subject to change, so the listing alone does not prove exactly what ultimately aired.
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This was a different program on a different network—not a relocated episode of The Late Show. The available national schedule information does not establish what an individual CBS affiliate broadcast in its local market that night.
Quick Recap
What viewers should take from the schedule
- There was no new Late Show episode to miss: the finale had already aired on May 21.
- CBS retired the franchise: this was not a routine holiday or single-evening substitution.
- Colbert was still listed on television: ABC scheduled him as a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on September 15, subject to change.
- Local schedules may differ: a national listing cannot identify every CBS affiliate’s programming.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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