The news that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is coming to an end has shocked fans and late-night hosts alike. Of course, one has to assume nobody was quite as shocked as Colbert himself, who was likely expecting to spend years,

For seven years, Jon Batiste watched Stephen Colbert lead The Late Show night after night. The musician began serving as bandleader on the series with his house band Stay Human in 2015 and held the position through 2022.

The comedian will portray a fictional late-night host in a CBS crime comedy while his own show is set to end in May 2026.