CBS Cancels *The Late Show* as Emmy Race Heats Up

CBS announced the cancellation of *The Late Show with Stephen Colbert* and the program is now campaigning for an Emmy in the newly merged “Outstanding Variety Series” category. Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel publicly backed Colbert’s bid, displaying a billboard that read “I’m voting for Stephen.” Kimmel later told *The Hollywood Reporter* that the network’s support was hoped to translate into an award for the show.

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The Emmy Television Academy recently combined the former “Outstanding Talk Series” and “Outstanding Scripted Variety Series” awards into a single “Outstanding Variety Series” field, allowing multiple programs to win in the same year. This change follows a period in which Kimmel himself endured a difficult season, including a brief removal from the air by ABC.

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*The Late Show* received nine Emmy nominations this year, spanning writing, directing, music direction, picture editing, sound mixing, lighting design, camerawork and production design. Its competitors in the category include *Jimmy Kimmel Live!*, *The Daily Show*, *Last Week Tonight with John Oliver* and *Saturday Night Live*.

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CBS posted a “For Your Consideration” video on *The Late Show*’s YouTube channel, featuring clips of Colbert’s fellow late-night hosts and Emmy rivals—Kimmel, John Oliver, Jon Stewart, David Letterman, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon and Andy Cohen. The montage highlighted a range of celebrity appearances, from William Shatner to Prince Harry, underscoring the show’s high-profile guest roster.

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The merged category creates the possibility that more than one program could receive an Emmy statue, a scenario not possible under the previous split categories. With *The Late Show*’s strong nomination slate and the network’s active promotion, the outcome could set a precedent for how late-night programs compete under the new rules and influence future Emmy campaigning strategies.

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