Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel, traditionally Stephen Colbert’s late-night rivals, are giving the comedian an unexpected farewell as The Late Show prepares for its final episode this Thursday. Both Fallon, 51, and Kimmel, 58, have decided to air reruns on their own shows, ensuring all eyes are on Colbert for what promises to be a memorable goodbye.
Fallon closed his Wednesday show with a warm nod to Colbert, saying: “And Stephen, have a great show tomorrow. We’ll be watching. Good night, everybody.” Fallon himself, whose recent guest Sienna Miller made headlines with candid breastfeeding footage, planned to tune in at 11:35 p.m. to watch Colbert’s final moments on stage.
In the lead-up to the finale, Colbert gathered fellow late-night icons including Fallon, Kimmel, Seth Meyers, John Oliver, and the now-retired David Letterman for one last hurrah: a playful stunt tossing CBS furniture off the Ed Sullivan Theater roof, including Colbert’s own office chair.
Colbert reflected on his tenure with a philosophical tone, acknowledging CBS’ decision to end the show: “I mean, you can’t do this forever. You have to think about, well, when is the right time to end? I didn’t think it would be this soon, but maybe CBS saved my life. Doing the show every day takes a lot of energy, and now I’ll have enough time to focus on other things I want to do.”
The host also revealed how he’ll spend his first day post-show: attending his brother’s wedding in Washington D.C., alongside his eight siblings and their partners. “It’ll be great to shift the focus to my family for once,” Colbert said.
Despite the mixed emotions, Colbert expressed gratitude for his decade-long run and the audience’s support. “I’m not being replaced. This is just a chapter closing. CBS has been a great partner, and I’m thankful to the audience who joined me every night, in here, out there, and around the world,” he shared.
As the spotlight shines solely on Colbert for the final broadcast, fans can expect a mix of humor, surprises, and heartfelt farewells — a fitting close for one of late-night TV’s most influential figures.
