What a wild 2025 it’s been for Stephen Colbert thus far. Mere days after The Late Show earned its latest batch of Emmy nominations, including its ninth straight in the talk show’s core category, CBS shocked viewers around the country by announcing the late night staple’s cancellation, in connection with parent company Paramount Global merging with Skydance Media. That situation remains a source of contention, but it looks like Colbert has already landed his latest gig away from the world of late night TV…sort of.
Though The Late Show with Stephen Colbert technically isn’t set to begin its swan song until the 11th season officially starts, many fans are wondering whether or not the former Colbert Report host will indeed remain in his current role for an entire year after the controversial cancellation decision. (Especially after Skydance boss David Ellison’s alleged thoughts on the Late Show’s content spread around.) Perhaps this latest return to the acting world may be indicative of where his head is at, but even if it isn’t, I still can’t wait to see it.
What's Stephen Colbert's Newest TV Gig?
No stranger to fully scripted and serialized TV, Stephen Colbert won’t be going too far outside the box for his newest role. He landed a guest spot on CBS’ acclaimed dramedy Elsbeth, a show that’s delivered a slew of winning guest stars throughout its first two seasons, so there’s no reason to expect this one to be a dud.
Though the exact timing of events behind-the-scenes is unclear, it’s very likely that conversations to bring Colbert into Elsbeth’s universe took place (or at least started up) before the Late Show’s fate was cemented. According to Vulture, the episode in question will likely land on the 2025 TV schedule as the Season 3 premiere for Carrie Preston’s titular attorney.
Elsbeth’s upcoming season will arrive on a special night amidst CBS’s Fall TV lineup, as the network will be utilizing post-NFL ratings with a Sunday-evening debut on October 12. It’s entirely possible the network will make scheduling changes before it arrives, however, so stay tuned on that front.
Who Will Stephen Colbert Be Playing On Elsbeth?
It doesn’t sound like Stephen Colbert will be jettisoned outside of his comfort zone when he shows up on Elsbeth, as he’s set to play — get this — a late night talk show host! I almost wish I could say his name is Stevie Coltiger, but that’s not the case.
He’ll be fronting the faux show-within-a-show Way Late with Scotty Bristol, which now feels like an even weirder move for Colbert in the aftermath of his Late Show debacle. Unfortunately, no further details about his appearance have been revealed, so we don’t know yet whether Scotty Bristol will be meeting his maker during the ep, or if he’ll have some other kind of involvement with the murder-of-the-week. I’m hoping for the latter, so that the door can stay open for him to potentially return.
If the Elsbeth role was already set up ahead of the Late Show cancellation, the episode likely won’t depict any real-world events. However, it’s reported that filming is currently taking place this week, so it’s technically possible showrunner Jonathan Tolins or co-creators Robert and Michelle King could have rewritten the material to reflect current events in an unexpected way. Of course, considering Elsbeth wasn’t noted as a sticking point in the Skydance/Paramount merger, it’s possible that the legal dramedy’s creative team has been advised to refrain from referencing what’s happening behind the scenes.
Regardless of whether it aims for full-on satire or just a super-quick winking nod to the Late Show’s fate, I cannot wait for Elsbeth to return to CBS with its Colbert guest spot. Stay tuned for further details while keeping in mind that Season 3 will be kicking off on Sunday, October 12, ahead of its normal Thursday-night airings, with new episodes also available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription.
