Stephen Colbert delivered an emotional goodbye to The Late Show at the 2026 Emmy Awards, accepting the program's third and final trophy for Outstanding Variety Series after CBS canceled the show following 33 years on the air.
Colbert accepted the award at the Sept. 14 ceremony, hosted by Mariska Hargitay, thanking "the over 200 people who threw themselves at this show for 11 years to try to do the best show they possibly could for you."
Colbert's Emmy speech
The Late Show beat out The Daily Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver and Saturday Night Live for the win. Colbert said late-night television is a "fantastic incubator for young people to come in to learn to work professionally," and called his young staffers "the future of our business that we have to look after."
He added that because The Late Show had been nominated, he was able to interview many of the stars in the Peacock Theater that night. "Over the last 21 years, I've interviewed at least 1000 of you," Colbert continued. "Thank you for coming on to talk to this idiot. I want you to know that you were the perfect guest."
Before leaving the stage, Colbert thanked his "one favorite guest," wife Evelyn McGee, and signed off, "We'll catch you all on the flip."
The Late Show's final episode
The Emmy honor came after the show's May 21 finale, when the 62-year-old gave his first emotional goodbye to the audience that had watched him helm the hosting gig for 11 seasons. "This show has been a joy for us to do for you," the Daily Show alum said on the final episode. "We call it 'The Joy Machine,' because to do this many shows, it has to be a machine. But the thing is, if you choose to do it with joy, it doesn't hurt as much when your fingers get caught in the gears."
Colbert's fellow Strike Force Five members, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and John Oliver, joined him for the send-off, along with guests including Sir Paul McCartney, Paul Rudd and Tim Meadows. In one of the finale's final moments, Colbert and McCartney were joined by former Late Show bandleader Jon Batiste and musician Elvis Costello for a sing-along of the Beatles' "Hello, Goodbye."
Why The Late Show ended
Colbert took over the Late Show desk after David Letterman's 22-year run, which began in 1993. Colbert announced the show's cancellation in July 2025 after CBS informed him it was ending. Three days before that announcement, the author of I Am America (And So Can You!) had called a $16 million legal settlement between CBS and Donald Trump over the network's 2024 election coverage "a big fat bribe."
With The Late Show off the air, Byron Allen's Comics Unleashed will take over its former timeslot, followed by Funny You Should Ask, a game show produced by the 65-year-old Allen.
Other Emmy winners
Elsewhere at the ceremony, The Pitt won Outstanding Drama Series, Widow's Bay took Outstanding Comedy Series, and The Traitors won Outstanding Reality Competition Program.
