Stephen Colbert is preparing to step back into the late-night television spotlight, months after the end of his long-running CBS program, with fellow comedian Jimmy Kimmel announcing that the former Late Show host will join him on ABC next week.
Colbert, 62, is scheduled to appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday, marking a high-profile return to the late-night circuit following the cancellation of his CBS show and the continuing controversy surrounding why the program ended.
Jimmy Kimmel Announces Colbert’s Late-Night Return
Kimmel revealed the upcoming appearance during Thursday’s edition of his show, making the announcement midway through the broadcast.
The 58-year-old comedian playfully pointed toward his own desk and chair while wondering aloud whether he might allow Colbert to take his usual position. The suggestion drew an enthusiastic reaction from the studio audience.
Kimmel subsequently promoted the appearance as the return of “the one and only Stephen Colbert” to late-night television and encouraged viewers to tune in.
ABC has confirmed that Colbert will appear on Tuesday.
CBS Cancellation Remains Surrounded by Debate
Colbert’s guest appearance comes roughly three months after the conclusion of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, ending his approximately 11-year tenure at the program.
CBS has repeatedly maintained that the decision was financial rather than political.
A report by Puck previously claimed the program had been losing approximately $40 million annually, providing a possible financial explanation for the network’s decision.
However, Colbert and Kimmel have publicly questioned that account and suggested broader political and corporate considerations may have influenced the cancellation.
Paramount Settlement With Trump Fueled Controversy
The timing of the cancellation became particularly contentious because Colbert had publicly criticized Paramount, CBS’s parent company, shortly before the network announced in July 2025 that his show would not continue.
Paramount had reached a $16 million settlement with Donald Trump over litigation that critics of the agreement viewed as lacking merit.
Colbert strongly condemned the settlement on his program, describing it as “a big fat bribe.”
The controversy intensified because Paramount was simultaneously pursuing its long-awaited merger with Skydance. Federal approval of that transaction arrived shortly after the settlement with Trump.
Skydance was founded by David Ellison, the son of billionaire Republican donor Larry Ellison. David Ellison subsequently became Paramount’s chief executive.
Those circumstances contributed to speculation among critics that political and corporate pressures, rather than television economics alone, played a role in Colbert’s departure.
Kimmel Rejects Claims That Late-Night Television Is Dying
Kimmel has also challenged reports portraying traditional late-night programming as financially unsustainable or increasingly irrelevant.
Speaking to Vulture last month, he dismissed financial figures attributed to unnamed sources as “made-up numbers.”
Kimmel argued that assessments based primarily on traditional television ratings fail to account for the enormous digital audiences generated by clips distributed through online platforms.
According to Kimmel, combining television audiences with daily online viewing demonstrates that late-night hosts continue to reach significant numbers of people.
He rejected suggestions that the format is simply fading because of changing viewing habits, arguing instead that other pressures are contributing to the industry’s difficulties.
“We’re not just dying of natural causes,” Kimmel said. “We’re being poisoned.”
Colbert and Kimmel Have Been Vocal Trump Critics
The dispute over Colbert’s cancellation has also drawn attention because both comedians have been persistent critics of Donald Trump.
After news emerged that his CBS program would end, Colbert delivered a particularly blunt response to the president during a subsequent broadcast.
Kimmel later experienced his own confrontation involving political speech and broadcast regulation.
His program was briefly removed from the air following controversy surrounding comments about Charlie Kirk. The episode came after Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr discussed the possibility of regulatory scrutiny during an appearance with conservative podcaster Benny Johnson.
Kimmel’s current ABC contract is scheduled to expire in May after approximately 24 years on television, placing additional attention on the future of another major late-night program.
Colbert Pursues New Projects After Leaving CBS
Colbert has remained active since ending his CBS run rather than disappearing completely from public view.
He recently revealed that he is co-writing a movie connected to the Lord of the Rings franchise and had been working on the project in New Zealand, according to an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
The project represents a significant move beyond the nightly political comedy format with which Colbert has been closely associated for years.
He also made an unconventional television appearance almost immediately after his Late Show farewell.
Surprise Public Access Appearance Followed Late Show Finale
Just one day after his final CBS episode aired, Colbert appeared alongside Jack White of The White Stripes on a small public-access television program in Michigan.
Colbert joked about how quickly he had returned to television, telling viewers it had been an “excruciating 23 hours” since he was last on screen.
He also took another playful shot at Paramount, joking that he was grateful to appear on Monroe Community Media before the local outlet was acquired by the entertainment conglomerate.
The appearance provided an early indication that Colbert intended to remain publicly active despite losing his nightly CBS platform.
Tuesday Appearance Puts Colbert Back on Major Late-Night Stage
Colbert’s upcoming visit to Jimmy Kimmel Live! will be significantly more prominent, placing two of America’s most outspoken late-night political comedians together on a major network.
Kimmel and Colbert have maintained a friendly relationship over the years, and Kimmel was among the late-night personalities who participated in Colbert’s farewell following his lengthy CBS tenure.
Their reunion is likely to draw particular attention given the unresolved debate surrounding Colbert’s cancellation, Kimmel’s own uncertain long-term future at ABC and both comedians’ confrontations with Trump and his allies.
While the appearance does not represent Colbert’s return as the host of another nightly program, Tuesday’s broadcast will put him back before a major late-night audience — this time from the other side of the desk.
