Jimmy Kimmel is making a quiet but pointed late-night move for Stephen Colbert.
Kimmel will air a rerun of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ on May 21, the same night Colbert hosts his final episode of ‘The Late Show’ on CBS. ABC confirmed that Kimmel will run new episodes earlier in the week, from Monday through Wednesday, before stepping aside on Thursday.
The decision is reportedly being made out of respect for Colbert’s sendoff. It is also the kind of gesture late-night fans will recognize. Kimmel made the same move in May 2015 for David Letterman’s final episode of ‘The Late Show’.
Jimmy Kimmel Steps Aside For Stephen Colbert
Kimmel’s rerun means Colbert’s final CBS episode will have one less late-night rival competing for attention.
That matters. Colbert’s exit ends an 11-season run on ‘The Late Show’, which he took over after Letterman retired in 2015. For Kimmel, the decision reads less like scheduling and more like friendship.
The moment also arrives during a rare late-night reunion. On Monday, May 11, Kimmel will appear on ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ alongside Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver.
That group previously joined forces for ‘Strike Force Five’, the podcast they launched during the 2023 Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA strikes. The podcast helped raise money for the crew members of their shows while production was shut down.
Colbert’s Final Guests Bring Late-Night History Full Circle
Colbert’s final run is stacked with familiar names.
David Letterman is set to appear on May 14, giving the final stretch a clear passing-of-the-torch feel. Letterman hosted ‘Late Night’ on NBC from 1982 to 1993 before moving to CBS, where he hosted ‘The Late Show’ until Colbert took over. Other final guests include John Krasinski, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Pedro Pascal, and Tom Hanks.
The show will also feature special segments, including a ‘Colbert Questionert’ with Barack Obama, a Broadway performance with Annaleigh Ashford, Christopher Jackson, Bernadette Peters, Ben Platt, and Patrick Wilson, plus a performance by The Strokes.
Cancellation Controversy Still Hangs Over CBS
CBS announced the cancellation of ‘The Late Show’ in July 2025, saying it was a financial decision. That explanation did not satisfy everyone.
The timing drew criticism because Paramount Global, CBS’s parent company, was seeking approval from Donald Trump’s FCC for its sale to Skydance Media. Colbert has long been a vocal Trump critic, and Trump repeatedly celebrated the show’s cancellation.
Letterman has been especially blunt about CBS’s decision. In a recent New York Times interview, he called network executives “lying weasels” and claimed Colbert was dropped because of the Skydance deal.
Kimmel’s move will not change the politics around Colbert’s exit. It does something simpler. It gives his friend the room.
For one night, late-night competition takes a back seat.
