CBS has revealed the start date of Stephen Colbert’s new late show, with the satirist set to take over from the veteran host David Letterman on 8 September.
CBS chairman Nina Tassler confirmed the start date, which will come four months after Letterman’s sign off on 20 May, during a presentation at the Television Critics Association in California, where she also confirmed NCIS: New Orleans, Madam Secretary and Scorpion would all be renewed for new seasons.
“I have nine months to make a show, just like a baby. So first, I should find out how you make a baby,” said Colbert.
Colbert’s will be the last show to start in a year of changes in the late night lineup.
Larry Wilmore will replace Colbert on Comedy Central with his new show starting on 19 January, while James Corden’s late night show – which replaces Craig Ferguson’s Late Late Show and will follow Colbert’s on the CBS schedule – has been pushed back to 23 March.
Cable channel National Geographic also announced they intended to enter the late-night chatshow arena, with the astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson bringing his successful podcast Star Talk to the screen.
They will all be attempting to compete with Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show which has dominated the ratings since he replaced Jay Leno on NBC almost a year ago.
