As The Late Show with Stephen Colbert prepares to officially end in May 2026, CBS has revealed what will fill the longtime late-night slot after Stephen Colbert signs off. The network announced that comedian and media mogul Byron Allen will bring his syndicated comedy series Comics Unleashed to CBS at 11:35 p.m. as part of a new agreement with Allen Media Group for the 2026-2027 season.
“I truly appreciate CBS’ confidence in me by picking up our two-hour comedy block of ‘COMICS UNLEASHED’ and ‘FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK,’ because the world can never have enough laughter,” Byron said in a statement. CBS’ arrangement with Allen Media Group is reportedly a buy-time agreement, meaning Byron pays the network to air his programs.
In an interview published May 6, Colbert revealed that he sent Byron a congratulatory note after learning that Comics Unleashed would replace The Late Show, adding, “God bless him.”
The cancelation of The Late Show was announced last year, shocking viewers across the board as many speculated that politics played a role in the show’s axing. However, CBS executives insisted that it was a “financial decision.”
“We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire The Late Show franchise in May of 2026,” CBS said. “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.”
The network added, “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.”
Learn about Stephen’s replacement in his late-night time slot, Byron, below.
Byron Allen Is a Comedian
While CBS is ending The Late Show franchise, the network is still keeping comedy in the 11:35 p.m. slot with Byron. Long before becoming a media mogul, Byron began his career as a stand-up comic and wrote his first comedy routine as a teenager.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Colbert mentioned the fact that Byron became the youngest comic to perform on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson when he was just 18 years old.
Byron Allen Is the Founder of Allen Media Group
As previously noted, Allen Media Group has a buy-time agreement with CBS. Byron is the founder of the group, and he is buying time on the cable network to air his Comics Unleashed.
Byron Allen Once Sued McDonald’s
In 2021, Byron filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the fast-food chain McDonald’s for allegedly discriminating against Black-owned media companies through its television advertisements. Both sides settled out of court in 2025.
In his lawsuit, Byron claimed that McDonald’s was discriminatory by buying advertisement time on media outlets targeting Black viewers, alleging that the burger chain’s purchases were created from a budget described as “the African American tier” of outlets. The lawsuit claimed that the action damaged Black media owners because this tier was limited in cash in comparison to the general tier that the company used for broader audiences on larger platforms.
