Stephen Colbert Reveals If He'll Return to Late Night After Show End

Would Stephen Colbert Ever Return to Hosting Late Night? He Says…

Stephen Colbert might not be saying goodbye to the unemployed life quite yet.

Almost four months after he bid farewell to The Late Show, the TV host revealed where he stands when it comes to returning to late night.

“I think the Jimmys have got that locked down for right now,” Colbert joked with Justin Sylvester during an exclusive interview on Live From E!: 2026 Emmys Sept. 14, referring to hosts Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel. “But thank you for the invitation.”

The 62-year-old—who was joined on the red carpet by wife Evie McGee—quipped, “For an unemployed person, I’m very busy.”

And McGee backed up her husband’s claims, although she was less tired by how busy he was and more tired of “him forgetting to tell me things.”

But as Colbert—who has been busy writing a new Lord of the Rings movie—explained, “There’s no internet in Middle-earth, my man.”

The night certainly continued with plenty of precious moments for Colbert as he took home the award for Outstanding Variety Series, marking The Late Show’s third trophy during his run as host. (See all the winners from the ceremony here.)

“Thank you so much on behalf of the over 200 people who threw themselves at this show for 11 years to try to do the best show they possibly could for you,” Colbert said during his speech, adding that late-night TV is a “fantastic incubator for young people to come in to learn to work professionally.”

He also noted that thanks to his time on The Late Show—which bested fellow nominees The Daily Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver and Saturday Night Live—he was able to interview many of the stars present at the Peacock Theater for the Mariska Hargitay-hosted ceremony.

LISA O'CONNOR / AFP via Getty Images

“Over the last 21 years, I’ve interviewed at least 1,000 of you,” he continued. “Thank you for coming on to talk to this idiot. I want you to know that you were the perfect guest.”

But in reality, he had only one perfect guest: McGee, with whom he shares kids Madeleine, 31, Peter, 28, and John, 24.

“Thank you, darling. Thank you for being my only crew and my only guest during COVID,” he shared. “And my only audience and the only audience I really care about.”

“Yours is the laugh that I want for the rest of my life,” he added. “I love you.”

To see more big winners from the 2026 Emmy Awards, keep reading.”