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Stephen Colbert rakes record number of Emmy nominations after 'Late Show' series cancellation
By Lindsay Kornick
Published July 08, 2026
The final season of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" earned nine Emmy nominations on Wednesday, the largest haul for the series since Colbert took over the show.
In addition to Outstanding Variety Series, the late-night talk show is nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series, Outstanding Directing For A Variety Series, Outstanding Production Design For A Variety Or Reality Series, Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork For A Series, Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Series, Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Variety Series Or Special, Outstanding Picture Editing For Variety Programming and Outstanding Music Direction.
The show's previous record was five nominations in 2024, when it was nominated for production design, directing, lighting, talk series and technical direction. Colbert's show also received five nominations in 2021 and 2022.
Late-night host Stephen Colbert accepts the Outstanding Talk Series Award for "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" onstage during the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on Sept. 14, 2025, in Los Angeles. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
In Colbert's 11-year tenure at "The Late Show," the program received over 40 nominations but only two wins for Outstanding Talk Series and Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series. Both wins were from 2025, months after CBS announced the show's cancellation last year.
"Sometimes, you only know how much you love something when you get a sense you might be losing it," Colbert said during his acceptance speech. "I have never loved my country more desperately. God bless America."
In a comment to Fox News Digital, CBS referred to an Instagram post congratulating the series for its nominations.
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The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards will air Sept. 14.
CBS announced last year that it would be canceling "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" for financial reasons. (Getty Images)
CBS canceled "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" last year for what it described as financial reasons with reports claiming the series was losing the network $40 million per year.
However, several liberal commentators, along with Colbert himself, have accused the network of canceling the show to appease President Donald Trump ahead of a massive merger requiring FCC approval. Colbert spent several episodes in his final season and in the public eye attacking the network and its parent company, Paramount, for the decision.
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"This is not the 1950s," Colbert said at the Writers Guild Awards in March. "This is not the Red Scare. And, as far as I can tell, no one in late night is fomenting a revolution. As we know, the revolution will not be televised. It was going to be televised, but then Paramount bought it."
"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" aired its last episode in May. (Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images)
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"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" aired its final episode on May 21. The finale helped earn the show five out of the nine nominations.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/stephen-colbert-rakes-record-number-emmy-nominations-late-show-series-cancellation