Get ready for a break in The Late Show with Stephen Colbert schedule. It’s coming very soon, just as we expected, but it’s not as long as we feared.
The break is coming in February 2026. We’re using 1 iota as a guide, as that’s where you can get tickets for the show. Although, if you want to get tickets before The Late Show comes to an end, you’ll need to jump in fast, as tickets for February are already completely sold out!
When will The Late Show go on a break?
The first real break of the new year — as the one-off break on Martin Luther King Jr. Day doesn’t fully count — is coming in February 2026. It’s timed with the Winter Olympics, but it won’t be for the entire sporting event. We thought that the show would take two full weeks off like The Tonight Show and Late Night. Instead, it’s only taking a week off like The Daily Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
The break is going to be at a different time to the ABC and Comedy Central shows, so it means that there will be something to watch on late night TV while shows go dark. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will have no new episodes between Monday, Feb. 9 and Thursday, Feb. 12 — the Friday doesn’t count as there are no new episodes on Friday nights any more.
The series will then be back on Monday, Feb. 23. However, tickets are sold out until the March shows.
Why is The Late Show with Stephen Colbert going dark?
Considering we now know that The Late Show will air its series finale on Thursday, May 21, we want as many episodes as possible. However, there are only so many episodes per year, and that means breaks happen here and then.
Taking a break in February makes a lot of sense. The Winter Olympics will air on NBC, and CBS probably doesn’t want to compete too much for linear ratings. After all, the entire primetime schedule is off until Monday, Feb. 23 due to the Winter Olympics.
There will be another break in March, and again, this is likely due to scheduling needs. Colbert is only contracted for a set amount of episodes, and that means a week break now and then. It also allows Colbert to go off and do other things — and hopefully, he’ll be getting ready with his next adventure once The Late Show comes to an end.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert airs on weeknights at 11:35/10:35c on NBC.