Just two months after its cancellation, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Series, earning the host a standing ovation at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
As Colbert walked on stage, the audience erupted in cheers, chanting “Stephen! Stephen!” before he delivered an emotional acceptance speech.
“I want to thank CBS for giving us the privilege to be part of the late-night tradition, which I hope continues long after we’re no longer doing the show,” Colbert said, also crediting his wife Evelyn McGee-Colbert and their three children for their constant support.
Reflecting on the show’s end, Colbert added: “Sometimes you only truly know how much you love something when you get a sense that you might be losing it. In September 2025, my friends, I have never loved my country more desperately. God bless America. Stay strong, be brave, and if the elevator tries to bring you down, go crazy and punch a higher floor!”
Other nominees in the category included The Daily Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Colbert, 61, had announced the show’s cancellation on July 17, revealing that its final season would air in 2026. The decision came days after he publicly criticized Paramount—CBS’s parent company—for a USD 16 million settlement with former President Donald Trump.