Stephen Colbert‘s days on The Late Show are winding down. His final show in the 11:35/10:35c CBS time slot will air on May 21, and the network has now revealed its plans for that hour moving forward.
Beginning on Friday, May 22, Byron Allen‘s comedy talk show Comics Unleashed will be airing back-t0-back half-hour episodes beginning at 11:35/10:35c on CBS from Mondays to Fridays. Then, for an hour beginning at 12:37a/11:37c on May 22, the comedy game show Funny You Should Ask, hosted by Jon Kelley, will join the CBS late-night lineup from Mondays to Fridays.
“I created and launched Comics Unleashed 20 years ago so my fellow comedians could have a platform to do what we all love — make people laugh,” Allen said. “I truly appreciate CBS’s confidence in me by picking up our two-hour comedy block of Comics Unleashed and Funny You Should Ask because the world can never have enough laughter.”
Jason Mendez/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival
Both shows are produced by Allen’s Allen Media Group, while he also serves as executive producer on both programs. Per Variety, Allen’s time buy on CBS will run through the 2026 to 2027 TV season. Comics Unleashed has aired on CBS in the 12:37a/11:37c time slot in the past. CBS has not confirmed how much Allen is paying for his time slots on the network.
Colbert took over as host of The Late Show from David Letterman in 2015. In July 2025, CBS announced that The Late Show franchise would end in May 2026 after 33 years, concluding Colbert’s time on the network.
Meanwhile, Allen had been advocating for his show to take over Colbert’s time slot when The Late Show ends. “If they’re looking for a show, my hand is already up,” he said in October 2025, according to Variety. “Fifty years, I’ve been waiting for this moment. Definitely, I’m going for it. I’m investing millions and millions of dollars to prove myself.”
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Weeknights, 11:35/10:35c, CBS
More Headlines:
- Joanna Gaines Celebrates Special Occasion With Rare Family Photos
- Renewed TV Shows 2026: Find Out Which Series Will Return for Another Season
- Will Abigail Spencer Return to ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Amid Owen & Teddy’s Exit? The Actress Says…
- Stephen Colbert’s ‘Late Show’ Replacement Revealed by CBS
- Ken Jennings Reveals Why ‘Celebrity Jeopardy!’ Opted To Do All-Stars After Just 3 Seasons
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.