CBS announced last month that it would not just be ending Colbert's run on the network but retiring the venerable Late Show franchise as a whole after the 2025-26 broadcast season, calling the divisive decision a "purely financial" one "against a challenging backdrop in late night."

Other than the week prior, the week of July 28 marked Colbert’s strongest ratings in over two years. In addition to its 3.016 million viewers, The Late Show amassed 304,000 in the key Adults 18-49 demo,