The Spencer Street End

The Spencer Street End

Watching the House Lights Fade

What the end of Colbert’s show says about who holds the mic

Daniel James's avatar
Daniel James
Jul 25, 2025
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The empty Late Show set.

From my perch here in the antipodes, it feels a bit like watching the house lights fade on a distant stage, except instead of applause or an encore, all we hear is an uncomfortable silence. Last week, CBS announced it will end The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in May 2026, citing financial pressures.

A perfectly boring reason…ex…

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