Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” received the Outstanding Variety Series award at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards on September 14, 2026, marking its sixth and final Emmy after concluding its impressive 11-year, 1,801-episode run earlier that May. Colbert took a heartfelt moment during his acceptance speech to express profound gratitude to his entire crew, his head writer Ariel Dumas, the team of writers, and the many guests he interviewed across his 21 years in late-night television, including his previous show, “The Colbert Report.” He also gave a special shoutout to his wife, Evie McGee, who co-founded their production company Spartina Industries and serves as its vice president.

The end of “The Late Show” brought closure to a long-standing late-night franchise that began with David Letterman in 1993 and transitioned to Colbert in September 2015 following Letterman’s retirement. Officially, CBS stated the cancellation was due to the expiration of Colbert’s contract and financial losses despite the show’s strong ratings. However, Colbert publicly questioned this reasoning, attributing the show's demise instead to larger corporate changes at Paramount and his outspoken political commentary, especially his critiques of the Trump administration. This highlighted a deeper tension behind the scenes regarding the business of late-night TV amid shifting market dynamics.

Prior to the primetime Emmy win, “The Late Show” had already garnered five Creative Arts Emmy Awards the preceding weekend, triumphing in categories such as Outstanding Writing, Directing, Technical Direction, Lighting, and Picture Editing for Variety Programming. These accolades underscored the show’s comprehensive excellence in both creative and technical aspects. Colbert himself holds a total of 12 Emmy wins, reflecting his sustained influence across different shows and formats, including “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report.”

As he closed his speech, an emotional Colbert addressed his audience directly, thanking everyone who had supported the show over more than two decades. He highlighted the role of late-night shows as apprenticeship platforms for young talent and urged others in the industry to hire his experienced crew members, ensuring their craft would carry forward. The ceremony served not only as a celebration of Colbert’s achievements but as a rallying call to uplift the dedicated professionals who contributed to the show’s success.