Stephen Colbert Turned Down Late-Night TV Return After Jimmy Kimmel Asked Axed Host to Fill in During Summer Break — 'It Feels Premature'
Jimmy Kimmel offered Stephen Colbert a guest-hosting gig.
July 23 2026, Published 1:20 p.m. ET
Jimmy Kimmel offered Stephen Colbert a chance to almost instantly make his return to late-night television after being axed from his gig at CBS.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the comedian, 58, asked Colbert if he wanted to be one of the rotating batch of guest hosts fronting his show during his summer hiatus.
'Of Course I Asked Him'
Colbert turned down Kimmel's offer.
According to Kimmel, Colbert was unable to take on the job because it wasn't the right time.
Kimmel told Variety: "Of course, I asked him and I think it feels premature. But I told him, 'anytime you want to host, it doesn’t matter if it’s the summer, I’ll gladly step aside.'"
Further addressing whether Colbert's exit helped his show pick up a few spots, Kimmel quipped: "The ratings are very strong, which we are very grateful to CBS for their wisdom. We were doing pretty well before that, but that really helped."
Hoovering Up Colbert's Viewers
Kimmel says his show has benefitted from the cancelation of Colbert's show.
"I've always thought of our show as an orphanage," he joked.
As Radar previously reported, CBS pulled the plug on The Late Show in May, describing the move as a purely financial decision.
However, the cancellation drew criticism from several of Colbert's late-night peers, including Kimmel. The comic even used his May 20 monologue to voice support for Colbert and to encourage viewers to tune in to CBS before the show signed off.
"I hope that those of you who watch our show will also tune in to CBS ― for the last time," he said. "Don’t ever watch it again, but watch tomorrow night to wish Stephen and our friends at The Late Show a fond farewell."
"I think you know how I feel about the fact that they are being pushed out," he continued. "I hope the people who did the pushing feel ashamed of themselves tonight, although I know they probably won't."
Losing 'Late Show' Hit Colbert Hard
The veteran host struggled after losing his beloved show.
Radar recently told how Colbert was left heartbroken after recording his final episode of The Late Show — and was reportedly struggling to decide on his next move.
An insider told Rob Shuter, who writes on Substack, "This wasn’t just a job – it was his identity. Stephen poured everything into that show. Losing it has hit him hard."
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Colbert insisted his show was pulled for financial reasons.
Last July, Colbert told viewers he found out "just last night that next year will be our last season."
He not only clarified that his show was ending, but that there would be no more late-night talk shows on CBS.
"I'm not being replaced. This is all just going away," he admitted.
In a statement, CBS executives noted, "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 network added: "We are proud that Stephen called CBS home. He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late-night television."
