Back in July 2025, CBS announced that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert would be coming to an end after the 2025–26 season. While this left fans of the beloved talk show disappointed and uncertain about Colbert’s future in late-night, the good news is that the Emmy-winning host isn’t disappearing from television just yet.
Following news of the show's cancellation, we've learned that Colbert is stepping into a brand-new talk show role on a hit CBS police procedural. This will be his first scripted acting appearance since the cancellation announcement.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Colbert is set to appear as a guest star in the upcoming Elsbeth season 3. He will play a character named Scotty Bristol, who is the host of a fictional late-night program called Way Late With Scotty Bristol. What a perfect fit for Colbert. Although he's not playing himself, it should be an easy transition for him to slip into a role so close to his own late-night persona.
It's unknown which episode of the third season he'll appear in, and it's unclear how his character will fit into the overall storyline. However, we're looking forward to seeing Colbert take on this new role. Hopefully, he'll share scenes with the show's lead, Carrie Preston, who portrays Elsbeth Tascioni.
Colbert recently filmed his guest spot on Elsbeth season 3, but the idea for him to appear on the show had been planned for several months. Back in February, when actor Wendell Pierce was a guest on Colbert’s Late Show, Colbert jokingly asked Pierce if he could help him get a part on Elsbeth because he had a funny desire to “be a corpse” on a TV show.
Pierce responded enthusiastically, saying he could help make it happen by using his industry connections. He told Colbert, "I can make that happen. I know a guy who knows a guy. We can get you on.” Well, it looks like Pierce made good on his promise, helping Colbert secure a fun and fitting role on the show. Pierce portrays the character, Charles Wallace (C. W.) Wagner, in the police procedural.
Serving as a spinoff to The Good Wife and The Good Fight, Elsbeth follows the quirky and brilliant attorney Elsbeth Tascioni, who after moving to New York City, lands a job working with the NYPD to help solve crimes. Besides Preston and Pierce, Carra Patterson makes up the main cast. With Colbert's upcoming guest appearance, he joins a growing list of high-profile stars who’ve popped up on the show as guests, including Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Vanessa Williams, Laurie Metcalf, David Alan Grier, Keegan-Michael Key, Laura Benanti, Matthew Broderick, Stephen Moyer, and many others.
Elsbeth season 3 is set to premiere on CBS on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, at 9:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. CT. Don't forget to save the date and time!
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