The final season of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" has secured a record nine Emmy nominations, marking the highest number of nominations the series has received since Stephen Colbert took over hosting duties. The nominations were announced on Wednesday.
Among the nods is Outstanding Variety Series. The show also received nominations for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series, Outstanding Directing For A Variety Series, Outstanding Production Design For A Variety Or Reality Series, Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork For A Series, Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Series, Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Variety Series Or Special, Outstanding Picture Editing For Variety Programming, and Outstanding Music Direction.
This recent haul surpasses the show's previous record of five nominations, which it achieved in 2024. The series also garnered five nominations in both 2021 and 2022.
During its 11-year run, "The Late Show" accumulated over 40 Emmy nominations, resulting in two wins. Both wins, for Outstanding Talk Series and Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series, were awarded in 2025, shortly after CBS announced the show's cancellation the previous year.
CBS canceled "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" last year, citing financial reasons. Reports indicated that the series was losing the network approximately $40 million annually. However, the decision drew criticism from liberal commentators and Colbert himself, who accused the network of canceling the show to appease President Donald Trump amid a pending merger that required Federal Communications Commission approval. Colbert addressed the cancellation and the network's decision in several episodes during his final season.
"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" aired its final episode on May 21. The finale contributed to the show earning five of its nine nominations. The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards are scheduled to air on September 14.