Stephen Colbert New Role Reported, He’ll Be a Parody of Himself in ‘The Good Wife’ Spinoff [WATCH]

Stephen Colbert is transitioning from his long-running role as a late-night host to acting, following CBS’s decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at the end of the upcoming season.

The announcement came amid reports of significant cost-cutting measures and a corporate merger that has reshaped the network’s strategic priorities.

According to entertainment industry sources who spoke with Deadline, Colbert will appear in a guest role on CBS’s crime procedural spin-off series Elsbeth, a follow-up to The Good Wife.

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Colbert, 61, will portray a fictional late-night host named Scotty Bristol on a show titled Way Late with Scotty Bristol—a character loosely based on his own persona from the past decade.

The series, set to be filmed in New York City, is part of CBS’s effort to expand its scripted content as it phases out The Late Show.

While Colbert’s appearance in Elsbeth had been arranged before the network’s official announcement, reports suggest he may not have been aware of the decision to end his late-night program when he agreed to the guest role.

After it was revealed that CBS canceled Stephen Colbert’s long-running late night talk show, #TheLateShow, THR learned that Colbert has landed another hosting gig on a separate CBS show…making a guest appearance on the crime comedy #Elsbeth #THRNews pic.twitter.com/2M5iUKjxZ0

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) August 4, 2025

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The network’s decision to shut down The Late Show follows years of financial losses.

According to internal estimates cited by industry analysts, the show was losing between $40 million and $50 million annually.

The financial strain became a key factor as CBS pursued a merger deal with Skydance Media. The deal, which required regulatory scrutiny, was ultimately approved.

Critics of the merger have alleged that CBS’s decision to end The Late Show was part of a broader effort to improve its standing with federal regulators, including the Federal Communications Commission.

Among the more contentious claims was that the network made a $15 million settlement payment in a defamation case involving President Donald Trump to avoid political and regulatory obstacles.

Comedians including Jon Stewart and Jimmy Kimmel publicly criticized the move, describing it as a “bribe” to the administration.

Colbert addressed his studio audience at the Ed Sullivan Theater on July 27, confirming that The Late Show will end in May 2026.

The announcement, which drew emotional reactions from the crowd, marked the end of a decade-long run for Colbert in the 11:30 p.m. slot.

“Before we start the show, I want to let you know something that I found out just last night: Next year will be our last season,” Colbert said.

“The network will be ending The Late Show in May. It’s not just the end of our show, but it’s the end of The Late Show on CBS. I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away.”

NEW: ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ has been canceled, according to Deadline.

The show will be ending in May of 2026 at the end of the broadcast season.

“I’m not being replaced, this is all just going away,” Colbert said.

CBS says the move was “purely a financial… pic.twitter.com/DbWa69MKj9

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 17, 2025

“We get to do this show for each other, every day, all day, and I’ve had the pleasure and the responsibility of sharing what we do every day with you in front of this camera for the last 10 years,” he continued, according to The New York Post.

“And it’s a job that I’m looking forward to doing with this usual gang of idiots for another 10 months. It’s going to be fun.”

Despite attempts to rally public support, a protest held last week outside CBS headquarters in New York in support of Colbert drew fewer than 25 participants.

Colbert’s upcoming appearance on Elsbeth marks a return to acting after a decade focused on late-night political satire.

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