CBS will replace Colbert’s ‘Late Show’ with expanded ‘Comics Unleashed’ block

CBS has announced that its 11:35 p.m. timeslot being vacated by “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” will be filled with “Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen” as part of an expanded “time-buy” deal between the network and Allen Media Group.

“Comics Unleashed” already airs at 12:37 a.m. on CBS and, under the new agreement, it will air four back-to-back episodes each night over two hours. It is hosted by Allen Media and Entertainment Studios founder and chief Byron Allen, who will continue in that role under the new model.

CBS won’t directly control production of “Comics Unleashed,” instead receiving an undisclosed payment from Allen Media Group to purchase the rights to air the show during those two hours. Under this time-buy model, Allen then tries to recoup its production costs through advertising. 

Exact terms of the CBS-Allen Media deal were not disclosed.

It’s not clear how many people are watching “Comics Unleashed” on CBS now. Because the time period is sold to Allen Media, it’s not eligible for rating by Nielsen. 

CBS had previously announced plans to end “The Late Show” in July 2025, calling it a financial decision. Some questioned that claim because the show was still well-rated and likely was still contributing to CBS’s bottom line. The timing of CBS’s decision, which came as David Ellison was trying to close the Paramount-Skydance merger, was also questioned.

“The Late Show” had been under scrutiny after host Stephen Colbert had been critical of Donald Trump on multiple occasions. 

In order for the Paramount-Skydance deal to close, the FCC, which is run by a Trump appointee, had to approve the transfer of broadcasting licenses from the stations CBS owns. Amid threats of investigations, the deal ended up closing shortly after CBS agreed to settle a “news distortion” lawsuit Trump had brought against its news division.

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“Comics Unleashed” typically features a short opening monologue from Allen and feature a guest DJ and panel of comedians who have opportunities to present individual material and participate in a panel. 

The show has typically avoided discussion news and politics as part of a strategy to keep it “evergreen” while also avoiding significant controversies that some advertisers shy away from. It was not immediately clear if this strategy will continue or if some episodes shown will be repeats. It is also not clear how far in advance episodes might be taped.

Allen Media also owns and handful of TV stations, The Weather Channel and Entertainment Studios Networks, the latter of which includes a cluster of themed cable channels that are largely filled with repeats and lower-budget productions. It also owns HBCU Network.

Meanwhile, ABC has also faced pressure from Trump after Jimmy Kimmel, who hosts the eponymous “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on the Disney-owned network, has increased his criticism of Trump. Disney opted to put the show on hiatus, which garnered significant criticism. Since then, ABC renewed “Live” through May 2027 as part of a one-year contract extension with Kimmel.

The last of the big-three networks, NBC, appears to be content to stick with “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” with the program renewed through 2028. Fallon’s show tends to feature less political talk and has largely avoided drying the ire of Trump. Instead, it opts to focus on broader comedy and interviews, games and performances from pop culture personalities. 

CBS’s move to distance itself from producing late-night content directly may ultimately be more efficient. The network has struggled with what to do with the later parts of its overnight block since “The Late Late Show with James Corden” ended in 2023. 

Under a time-buy arrangement, CBS may be able to refocus resources on other areas while still maintaining a revenue stream from that part of its schedule. 

The network tried a comedic game show, “After Midnight,” with mixed results.