Earlier this year Jimmy Kimmel offered Stephen Colbert the chance to make a quick return to late-night television. The ABC host wanted his friend and former competitor to serve as a summer fill-in host. Unfortunately for all of us the former CBS employee turned down the offer. The good news is we’re now getting the next best thing. Stephen Colbert will head back to late-night as a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
During the end of last night’s show Jimmy Kimmel announced (in news we first heard at Entertainment Weekly) that Stephen Colbert will stop by his theater next week. The former host of Late Night With Stephen Colber will appear on September 15.
“We will be back in a very big way on Tuesday night, after the Emmys with the one and only Stephen Colbert, who will making his return to late-night television,” said Kimmel while gesturing to his guest chair. He then added he’d maybe he’d even let Colbert sit behind his desk.
Yes please and thank you. Especially since the guest appearance will be The Lord of the Rings screenwriter‘s first late-night appearance since his show went off the air in May. The circumstances around the end of his show were….not great. CBS claimed the cancellation was purely financial. Not everyone believes that! Especially Jimmy Kimmel, who was briefly taken off the air after government interference. A mass protest quickly brought him back.
As if all of that isn’t enough reason to tune in, this news comes amid rumors Jimmy Kimmel Live will also end in 2027. Could this be how we find out the truth either way? Or is this simply the first time Kimmel was able to book Colbert on his show? We’ll find out next week when we tune in. We’ve missed spending late-night with Stephen Colbert. We’ll be happy to have him back even if it’s just for one glorious night.