Classic TV move: the minute CBS pulls the plug on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the show lands right back in the spotlight. Colbert’s late-night run just scored an Outstanding Variety Series nomination at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards (aka the 2026 Emmys) — a few weeks after CBS axed the show for financial reasons.
What got nominated, and who he’s up against
The Television Academy folded the old talk and scripted-variety categories into a single race this year, so it ’s a bigger scrum than usual. Colbert comes in as the defending talk winner — The Late Show took Outstanding Talk Series at the last Emmys — and now he’s competing head-to-head with sketch, news-satire, and everything in between.
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
- The Daily Show
- Jimmy Kimmel Live!
- Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
- Saturday Night Live
If you follow awards patterns, you know John Oliver is a heavy hitter here. Last Week Tonight has racked up Emmys across the old categories for years, so expect that matchup to be the headline.
Yes, the show really is over
CBS ended The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in May 2026, pointing to the math that’s been wrecking late-night across the board: shrinking ad revenue and audiences that no longer watch at 11:35. The network didn’t just cancel Colbert’s version — they are not replacing him, period — which effectively closes The Late Show franchise after more than 30 years on the air. As farewells go, Colbert kept it Colbert: he even circled back to a promise from night one, 1,800 episodes later.
Timing, leaks, and the early peek
The nomination landed July 8, 2026, and in a very on-brand twist for awards season, NBC’s Today show jumped the gun and read out nominees in two categories hours before the official announcement. TV critic Eric Deggans flagged the early reveal — including the reality competition lineup, which featured Dancing with the Stars, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Survivor, Top Chef, and The Traitors.
The read
It’s bittersweet: the show signs off, then gets a victory lap. But the nod does what it’s supposed to do — it locks The Late Show’s legacy in place while Colbert takes one last swing in a tougher, merged category. Now we see if the defending champ can out-duel Oliver and company one more time.