Stephen Colbert lands a role in CBS’ Elsbeth following the cancellation of The Late Show

The upcoming season of Elsbeth will include a guest appearance by Stephen Colbert. The CBS drama, known for its weekly mysteries and sharp dialogue, will bring the late-night host into a very different space. The episode was filmed during the summer, just as the network confirmed that The Late Show will officially end in 2026. Colbert won’t appear as himself. Instead, he plays a fictional character written for the show.

It’s a moment of change, both for Colbert and for CBS. He’s been on-screen almost every night for close to ten years. Now that his time on the talk show is winding down, seeing him show up in a scripted drama feels different. It’s just one episode, but it stands out. He’s doing something new but still showing up in front of the same crowd.

A shift from nightly talk to scripted crime

The third season of Elsbeth continues the format established in earlier episodes. Each story focuses on a single case, with new characters introduced as part of the investigation. In Colbert’s episode, he plays Scotty Bristol, a late-night host within the world of the show. The character appears in a plot that hasn’t been fully revealed yet. It’s not clear how he connects to the crime, but the role was confirmed by CBS and reported by Deadline.

There’s no official air date yet. But since the episode was filmed before the news about The Late Show ending came out, it’ll probably show up early in the season. Elsbeth is coming back in October, and Colbert’s guest appearance is already getting attention, mostly because of when it was filmed and everything that came after.

From on-air joke to real episode

The idea for the appearance came from a February interview. Wendell Pierce, one of the leads on Elsbeth, was a guest on The Late Show at the time. During their conversation, Colbert joked about wanting to play a dead body in a CBS crime show. Pierce responded in kind, saying he could help arrange it. What started as a casual exchange turned into something real. Behind the scenes, the producers found a way to bring Colbert into the show’s third season.

Instead of casting him as a corpse, the writers gave him a speaking role. The fictional host he plays is not a version of himself. It’s a separate character, inserted into one of the series’ standalone stories. The scene was shot in New York and follows the usual rhythm of the show, which often blends comedy with investigation.

CBS prepares for late-night changes

Colbert's showing up in Elsbeth happens at a time when things are already shifting at CBS. Back in July, the network said The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will wrap up in May 2026. The show has been at the top of late-night ratings for years, but CBS pointed to changing viewer habits and new programming goals as part of the reason for the decision.

They didn’t explain much beyond that. But several reports mentioned that money might’ve had something to do with it. Running a nightly show like that has gotten harder, especially now that more people watch things on their own time. With this move, the Late Show name, which had been part of CBS for more than 30 years, is also coming to a close.

Colbert took over from David Letterman in 2015. Over time, he moved away from sketch comedy and focused more on interviews and political monologues. His version of the show became known for its commentary and direct tone. The announcement of its cancellation closes one of the most visible chapters of his career.

Elsbeth blends fiction and reality on screen

Even though the role of Elsbeth is brief, the context gives it a different weight. Colbert has been a nightly presence on CBS for years. Now, in the middle of change, he returns to the same network through fiction. It’s a small performance, placed inside a scripted world, but it connects to a wider moment of transition.

Elsbeth, created by Robert and Michelle King, has always had room for guest stars. Carrie Preston leads the cast, reprising the role she first played in The Good Wife. The show’s tone is lighter than most crime dramas. It mixes case-solving with quick dialogue and unexpected characters. Past episodes featured names like Nathan Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Matthew Broderick, and Laura Benanti.

Colbert now joins that list. His inclusion doesn’t mark a change in direction, but it adds something unusual. A performer known for political satire stepping into a fictional mystery offers contrast. The character he plays is separate from his real-life role, but the setting mirrors elements of his career.

A different role on familiar ground

The structure of Elsbeth makes this kind of appearance possible. Each episode introduces a new story, so writers have space to bring in someone like Colbert without needing to tie it into a larger arc. It’s not part of a long build-up. It happens and plays out, and the next week, the show moves on.

This flexibility is part of what defines Elsbeth. The stories are contained, but the tone allows for shifts in mood and casting. It’s what makes the series a good place for small experiments. A fictional talk show host can appear, serve a purpose in a case, and leave without disrupting the format.

What comes next for both

The third season premieres in October 2025. Details about Colbert’s episode remain limited, but it will likely air early in the season. No major plot points have been released. Still, the combination of timing and casting has already sparked attention. It’s not just another guest role. It’s part of a broader moment for both the show and the performer.

As CBS reconfigures its programming, Elsbeth continues to adapt. The show has kept a consistent tone while exploring different types of storytelling. Colbert’s appearance fits into that style. It adds a note of change but also a sense of continuity, all within a story that stands on its own.