After an impressive 33 years on television, The Late Show has officially drawn its final curtain. Stephen Colbert hosted the ultimate broadcast on Thursday evening, signing off alongside special guest Sir Paul McCartney in an emotional and music-filled finale, BBC reports.
Broadcasting from New York’s legendary Ed Sullivan Theater, Colbert and the former Beatle shared fond memories of the venue’s rich history and the iconic British band’s early tours across America. The evening culminated in a poignant duet of Hello, Goodbye, providing a fitting soundtrack as the dedicated cast and crew gathered on stage for a final bow.
The television network CBS shocked viewers last July when it announced the venerable programme would be axed. Colbert has spent 11 seasons at the helm since succeeding David Letterman, who originally launched the comedy institution back in 1993. Despite the momentous occasion, Colbert kicked off proceedings with his signature monologue and insisted the audience should expect business as usual rather than a heavily sentimental send-off.
The elusive Pope and star-studded cameos
Anticipation had been building regarding the identity of Colbert’s ultimate interview subject. Throughout the broadcast, several Hollywood heavyweights pitched themselves for the honour in a series of cheeky cameo appearances. The rejected hopefuls included Bryan Cranston, Paul Rudd, Ryan Reynolds.
Colbert, a practising Catholic, had frequently joked over the years that his dream final guest would be Pope Leo XIV. In a running sketch during the finale, he attempted to introduce the pontiff, only for a staff member to interrupt with the news that the Pope was refusing to leave his dressing room because they failed to provide his requested snacks. Viewers were then treated to a brief shot of an arm tossing a hot dog from a door bearing the Pope’s name.
Feigning despair, Colbert lamented the loss of his ‘confirmed’ guest before revealing that Sir Paul just so happened to be in the neighbourhood to save the day. Sitting down at the desk, the music legend reflected on his initial impressions of the U.S., describing it as the birthplace of rock and blues. He noted that America was once viewed globally as «the land of the free» and «the greatest democracy», adding his sincere hope that the nation still holds those values today.
Following their musical finale, a pre-recorded segment showed Colbert and McCartney backstage flicking off the studio lights for the very last time.
Tributes, fans and the final curtain
Outside the theatre, devoted fans congregated beneath the glittering marquee wielding signs with messages such as «Thank You Stephen» and «Colbert for President». Speaking to the BBC, fan Sarah Thompson expressed her sadness, noting that his departure leaves a massive void because «you need to laugh at the end of the day». Another attendee, Wendy Sloan, detailed how she hopped on an eight-hour flight from Amsterdam with zero sleep just to witness the historic night in person.
The lead-up to Thursday’s finale was a spectacular affair. A slew of prominent figures stopped by to pay their respects during Colbert’s final weeks, including Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Bruce Springsteen.
Fellow late-night presenters Jon Stewart, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers and John Oliver also made appearances to show their solidarity. Out of respect for Colbert’s final broadcast, both Fallon and Kimmel chose to pull new episodes of their own programmes on Thursday night.
Last week also saw the return of David Letterman. A vocal critic of the cancellation, the former host joined Colbert in a nostalgic recreation of his classic segment: hurling items like watermelons and furniture off the theatre’s roof onto a CBS logo.
Colbert had established himself as one of U.S. President Donald Trump‘s most fervent television critics, prompting widespread speculation that political pressure may have influenced the show’s sudden demise.
However, CBS maintained last year that axing the programme was strictly a financial choice motivated by a difficult late-night television landscape and was in no way related to the show’s content or performance.
