Fox News' Greg Gutfeld dominates late-night ratings, surpassing CBS's "Late Show" with Stephen Colbert, despite Colbert's claims of being No. 1. CBS will cancel "The Late Show" in May 2026, citing a $40 million annual loss, though some speculate it’s to appease the Trump administration.
Colbert questioned the financial rationale, claiming his show leads in ratings. However, "Gutfeld!" has outperformed "The Late Show" for 21 consecutive months in total viewers and 13 months in the key 25-54 demographic.
"Gutfeld!" airs at 10 p.m. ET, while Colbert’s show starts at 11:35 p.m. ET, leading only among network late-night comedy programs.
In the 25-54 demo, "Gutfeld!" drew 398,000 viewers, outpacing Colbert’s 288,000, Kimmel’s 267,000, Fallon’s 262,000, and Meyers’ 181,000. Among 18-49-year-olds, "Gutfeld!" led with 248,000 viewers, followed by Colbert (188,000), Kimmel (175,000), Fallon (160,000), and Meyers (113,000).
Speculation surrounds Paramount’s late-night lineup, including Comedy Central’s "The Daily Show," as a merger with Skydance Media looms, pending FCC approval.
Colbert, a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, responded to Trump’s taunts about the cancellation with a profane retort. Paramount and CBS recently settled Trump’s $20 billion election interference lawsuit for at least $16 million, which Colbert criticized as a "big fat bribe."