The Late Show with Stephen Colbert ended with a star-studded farewell on Thursday, May 21, as host Stephen Colbert wrapped up the show’s final episode after nearly a decade on air.
The finale opened with Colbert’s signature monologue before Bryan Cranston humorously interrupted, asking to join the guest lineup. When Colbert joked the show was already full, Cranston exited dramatically, tossing his Late Show hat into the audience.
Several celebrity friends made surprise appearances throughout the night. Paul Rudd gifted Colbert six bananas as a “retirement present,” while Ryan Reynolds handed bananas to the show’s keyboard player. Comedian Tig Notaro joked she was only attending because she liked “historic events.”
The emotional highlight came when Paul McCartney appeared as the final guest. He presented Colbert with a framed photo of The Beatles from their famous 1964 performance on The Ed Sullivan Show, filmed in the same theatre.
The episode also featured a “wormhole” segment with Jon Stewart, John Oliver, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and others. Later, Elvis Costello and Jon Batiste joined Colbert for a musical performance before McCartney closed the night with The Beatles’ “Hello, Goodbye.”
Colbert took over the show from David Letterman in 2015. CBS announced the cancellation in 2025, citing financial pressures in broadcast television, though critics speculated political tensions also played a role. After ending the show, Colbert is now focusing on screenwriting, including work on a new The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past project with Peter Jackson. (ANI)