The Curtain Falls on "The Late Show": A Tale of Ratings and Rethinking the TV Landscape The finale of "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" was a ratings juggernaut, pulling in 6.
74 million viewers – its most watched weeknight episode to date. This feat surpasses the show's previous average of 2. 69 million viewers in Q1 2026 and even exceeds the series premiere back in 2015, which drew 6.
55 million viewers. The surprise appearance of Paul McCartney singing "Hello Goodbye" alongside Colbert and other celebrities likely contributed to this late night phenomenon.