LOS ANGELES, July 17 (Reuters) - "The Late Show with

Stephen Colbert" on CBS will end in May 2026 after the

upcoming broadcast season, the network said on Thursday.

The show is ending and Colbert will not be replaced, CBS

executives said.

"This is purely a financial decision against a challenging

backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the

show's performance, content or other matters happening at

Paramount," the executives said in a statement.

CBS parent company Paramount is seeking

approval from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission for an

$8.4-billion merger with Skydance Media. This month, Paramount

agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump over

an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris, his

Democratic challenger in the 2024 presidential race, that CBS's

"60 Minutes" broadcast in October.

Colbert, a frequent critic of Trump on his show, told

his audience on Thursday that he was informed of the show's

cancellation the night before.

Senator Adam Schiff of California, a Democrat, was a

guest during Thursday's show.

"If Paramount and CBS ended the Late Show for political

reasons, the public deserves to know. And deserves better,"

Schiff wrote on X.