Stephen Colbert updates: Late Show host greeted on stage with ‘deafening cheers’ in taping final CBS broadcast

The Late Show has taken the secrecy of tonight’s guests very seriously, with a security tower stationed outside the Ed Sullivan Theater to shield the identity of anyone entering.

The tower at the stage door had heavy curtains and security guards around it, Deadline detailed.

“Whoever you are, we love you!” one fan yelled.

President Donald Trump’s political rivals have showered Stephen Colbert with praise ahead of the Late Show finale.

“There aren’t many who can make people think and laugh at the same time. For years, Stephen brought wit, heart, and honesty to late night television,” former President Joe Biden wrote on Instagram.

“America could always count on a laugh — and sometimes a needed reality check. Congrats on an incredible run, my friend,” he added.

Hillary Clinton, Trump’s opponent during the 2016 election, wrote on Instagram, “Alongside his great wit, Stephen brought deep thoughtfulness, empathy, and humility to the late-night stage.”

Paul Mecurio, a comedian at the Late Show, has shared a video of Colbert’s warm up act before the finale.

In the video posted to X, Colbert’s colleagues are seen and heard clapping. Colbert then bangs onto a storage rack backstage, joining in on the beat.

After one final look at his crew, Colbert walks on stage to the taping of tonight’s show.

The live audience can be heard cheering loudly as the host appears from backstage.

Stephen Colbert walked on stage to “deafening cheers” during the taping of the Late Show finale, according to CNN’s Brian Stelter.

The Late Show has decided to keep its finale a surprise to fans.

Viewers won’t know who tonight’s guests will be until they walk out on stage, and the segments have also been under wraps.

There are some guests we could presumably cancel out, including his longtime friend Jon Stewart. The comedian appeared on the show earlier this week.

It’s also unlikely his fellow late night hosts Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers and John Oliver will appear tonight, since they were on the show last week.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris has paid tribute to Stephen Colbert’s time on late night TV, thanking him for “so many memorable conversations.”

“Stephen Colbert has a talent for making people laugh and encouraging them to stay curious, stay engaged, and stay hopeful about the world around them,” she wrote on X ahead of his final show.

CBS’ Late Show was canceled days after Colbert criticized the network’s parent company, Paramount, over a $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump.

The settlement was part of a legal dispute in which Trump’s team accused 60 Minutes of deceptively editing a 2024 interview with Harris, his political opponent in the last presidential election.

Donald Trump isn’t letting Stephen Colbert fade into the sunset without having the last word.

The White House also issued its own statement to The Independent, celebrating Colbert’s final show.

The network announced the cancellation last July in a statement, describing Colbert as “irreplaceable” and citing a “financial decision.”

“As someone who’s always been a proud employee of this network, I am offended. And I don’t know if anything will ever repair my trust in this company,” the host said. “But just taking a stab at it, I’d say $16 million would help.”

Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, a frequent Colbert guest, questioned CBS’s motives, demanding that “America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons.”

“CBS canceled Colbert’s show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump – a deal that looks like bribery,” she suggested on X, alongside a clip of Colbert’s show in which he denounced Paramount’s settlement.

The stars have been paying tribute to Stephen Colbert on social media ahead of his final Late Show tonight.

Fellow late-night host Conan O’Brien said Colbert was moving on to “bigger and better things,” while Star Wars actor Mark Hamill thanked him for “decades of laughs.”