Stephen Colbert’s farewell episode left some viewers less than thrilled when Ryan Reynolds made an unexpected appearance. Thursday marked the end of a 33-year journey for The Late Show, closing with a celebrity-packed finale.
In the episode’s opening segment, Colbert, at 62, engaged with a parade of famous faces in the audience, each humorously speculating whether they would be his final interview. The night concluded with an interview featuring Beatles legend Paul McCartney as the ultimate guest.
Yet, fans expressed annoyance when Ryan Reynolds, famously known as Blake Lively’s husband and involved in her legal battle with Justin Baldoni, showed up unannounced.
Colbert quickly addressed him, humorously stating, “Ryan, it’s great to see you, but unfortunately, you’re not my final guest.”
Reynolds responded with a playful, “Ouchie. Well, I’m just glad to be here to honor one of the world’s greatest entertainers on his last night at the Ed Sullivan Theater.”
Colbert thanked him, to which Reynolds amusingly replied, “I was talking about your keyboardist, Corey Bernhard.” He proceeded to give Bernhard a lengthy hug and a banana gift, leading to a lighthearted moment when the musician gently pushed him away.
Stephen Colbert, 62, left many fans unimpressed after Ryan Reynolds appeared as a surprise guest during his farewell on Thursday, as The Late Show aired its final star-studded episode
Blake Lively’s husband – who played a major role in her legal war with Justin Baldoni – was among the celebrity cameos
‘Thank you. Please stop DM-ing me,’ Bernhard told him.
‘Never,’ Reynolds replied.
‘Who thought it would be a good idea to trot Ryan Reynolds out? Was the goal to get as many a**holes in screen as possible?’ one fan on X questioned.
‘Why have Ryan Reynolds on his last show!!! Ugh!’ another wrote.
‘ryan reynolds EW EW EW EW EW,’ another chimed in.
Colbert has spent nearly 11 years at the helm of The Late Show, taking over as host in September 2015 from David Letterman, 79, who launched the late-night talk show in 1993 and retired after 22 years.
McCartney ended up being the final guest.
The moment proved historic as McCartney and his Beatles bandmates – John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison – famously made their first TV appearance in the United States at the Ed Sullivan Theatre, where Colbert is filmed, in 1964.
Moments before McCartney’s surprise appearance, Colbert joked that Pope Leo was set to be his final guest but that he refused to leave his dressing room.
Colbert quickly shut him down, joking: ‘Ryan, it’s great to see you, but I hate to tell you, you’re not my last guest’
‘Ouchie,’ Reynolds replied. ‘Okay, well in that case I’m just happy to be here. Pay my respects to the one on the world’s greatest entertainers in his last night at the Ed Sullivan theater’
After Colbert thanked him, Reynolds quipped, ‘I was talking about your keyboardist, Corey Bernhard.’ Reynolds then got up to give Bernhard a prolonged hug and a gift of bananas, before the musician playfully shook him off
‘Who thought it would be a good idea to trot Ryan Reynolds out? Was the goal to get as many a**holes in screen as possible?’ one fan on X questioned
The scenario played out in a hilarious sketch with Colbert begging a fake Pope Leo to leave his dressing room before the imposter threw a Chicago-style hot dog in disgust.
‘The Pope – who was definitely my guest tonight – has canceled,’ Colbert exclaimed from behind his desk.
‘We already sent the other stars away,’ Colbert said, referring to cameos from Reynolds and other A-listers who stopped by the studio. ‘This is terrible.’
He then asked, ‘Who is going to be my last guest now?’ Then, from offstage, McCartney yelled out to Stephen and walked onto the stage.
‘Hey Stephen! What about me? I can do it,’ the musician said earnestly.
Colbert started the show with a speech to his audience, telling them he planned to do a ‘normal’ episode before getting a surprise cameo from Bryan Cranston in the audience.
‘But you said there’s nothing special happening tonight?’ Cranston asked.
‘Well, as I was saying, we are doing a normal episode of The Late Show which is always kind of special,’ Colbert said.
‘Oh, yeah, absolutely. But not even, I don’t know, a surprise celebrity cameo popping up out of nowhere?’ Cranston questioned.
‘No, Bryan, those always feel kind of forced,’ Colbert said.
‘Absolutely, totally, very cheap stunt but I’m here. Maybe I could be your last guest,’ Cranston replied.
‘That would be great, Bryan. The thing is, we already have a pretty special one lined up. I’m sorry,’ Colbert told him, which prompted Cranston to jokingly storm out.
Beatles icon Paul McCartney ended up being his last guest
The moment proved historic as McCartney and his Beatles bandmates – John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison – famously made their first TV appearance in the United States at the Ed Sullivan Theatre, where Colbert is filmed, in 1964
McCartney brought a photograph of the special moment
Colbert started the show with a speech to his audience, telling them he planned to do a ‘normal’ episode before getting a surprise cameo from Bryan Cranston in the audience
‘I’m here. Maybe I could be your last guest,’ Cranston said. ‘That would be great, Bryan. The thing is, we already have a pretty special one lined up. I’m sorry,’ Colbert told him, which prompted Cranston to jokingly storm out
His monologue was then once again interrupted by actor Paul Rudd who wanted to read him a poem
Actor Tim Meadows also appeared in the audience
Comedian Tig Notaro was also among the crowd
‘Let me guess you also think you’re going to be my guest tonight,’ Colbert asked
‘No. No, I just like to be at historic events. I was at the Obama inauguration, the moon landing, and whatever this is,’ she replied
His monologue was then once again interrupted by actor Paul Rudd who sat in the audience.
‘Paul, why are you interrupting me?’ he asked.
‘I’m just curious when our interview starts. I have an extremely long poem I want to recite and I don’t want to run out of time,’ Rudd replied.
‘You wrote a poem about me?’ Colbert questioned.
‘I wrote a poem,’ Rudd quipped.
‘Okay, that’s nice. Paul, just, you’re not my last guest,’ Colbert replied.
Rudd then joked he got him six bananas as a retirement gift, but had already eaten one of them.
Actor Tim Meadows then appeared in the audience, saying, ‘I was just explaining to Paul Rudd that for your last guest you wanted someone that you go back with so we could talk about the good old days when you and I were doing second city together.’
‘It’s not you either, Tim,’ Colbert quipped.
‘Screw you, Colbert! You know what! You got what you deserve! Give me those bananas!’ Meadows shouted while jokingly storming out.
Comedian Tig Notaro also made an appearance in the audience. ‘Let me guess you also think you’re going to be my guest tonight,’ he asked.
‘No. No, I just like to be at historic events. I was at the Obama inauguration, the moon landing, and whatever this is.’
He also shared a pre-taped bit with his fellow late night hosts Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers and John Oliver at the end
In the bit, which served as a metaphor for the end of The Late Show, Neil deGrasse Tyson warned that there was a wormhole that was threatening all of late-night TV
Fellow late night star Jon Stewart then came in and read a statement from Paramount, saying the company ‘strongly believes in covering both sides’ of the black hole
After getting swallowed by the wormhole, the host found himself joined for a sing-along by McCartney, Jon Batiste, Louis Cato, and music legend Elvis Costello
Fans lined up to bid farewell to the host ahead of the taping
One sign featured Colbert’s picture and read ‘Thank you Stephen!’
Colbert also shared a pre-taped bit with his fellow late night hosts at the end, which served as a metaphor for the end of The Late Show.
In the bit, Neil deGrasse Tyson warned that there was a wormhole that was threatening all of late-night TV.
‘Your cancellation has created a rift in the comedy-variety-talk continuum!’ he said.
Fellow late night star Jon Stewart then came in and read a statement from Paramount, saying the company ‘strongly believes in covering both sides’ of the black hole.
As Colbert tried to figure out what to do, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers and John Oliver came to offer advice.
‘Without you, where will Americans turn to see a middle-aged white man make jokes about the news?’ Meyers joked.
The sci-fi bit then showed a glimpse of Elijah Wood after Colbert quoted The Lord of the Rings, before Andy Cohen was seen getting sucked into the wormhole.
Colbert later marched back on stage only for the wormhole to swallow him.
Returning from the commercial break, the host found himself trapped inside a black void, where he was joined for a sing-along by Jon Batiste, Louis Cato, and music legend Elvis Costello.
A number of celebrities have helped Colbert bring the show to a close this week.
Tuesday’s episode featured Jon Stewart and Steven Spielberg, plus a ‘special performance’ by David Byrne and Colbert, while Wednesday’s episode included a performance by Bruce Springsteen.
His rivals, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, will both air reruns on Thursday night out of respect for the departing star.
Colbert has spent nearly 11 years at the helm of The Late Show, taking over as host in September 2015; Pictured with President Donald Trump in an episode from September 2015
He took the reins from David Letterman, 79, who launched the late-night talk show in 1993; Seen with Letterman in 2023
His roster of high-profile guests includes Taylor Swift; Seen on the show in December 2025
Colbert shockingly announced on July 17 that Paramount/CBS would not be renewing his contract after 11 years on the air, and they would end the late-night program.
At the time, the network claimed it was ‘purely a financial decision,’ but the cancellation came days after Colbert called Paramount/CBS’s $16 million lawsuit settlement with President Donald Trump ‘a big fat bribe.’
Paramount was also in the midst of a multibillion-dollar merger with the movie studio Skydance, which requires the government approval of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Immediately after the show ends, Colbert will be hosting a Fired and Festive wrap party for the Late Show.
As reported by Variety, invites for the bash are topped with the show’s red, white and blue logo which has been tweaked to saw: ‘The LAST SHOW with Stephen Colbert’.
The invitations add: ‘That’s a WRAP! (PARTY)’.
The dress code is said to be ‘Fired and Festive’, and the event will take place at a nearby event space close to the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City.
It has been reported that there will be ‘many celebrities’ at the after party, which is being taped.
Days before the death knell, Colbert assembled Fallon, Kimmel, Seth Meyers, John Oliver, and the now-retired Letterman, to help him throw some CBS furniture off the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theater, including Colbert’s office chair, per Entertainment Weekly.
Colbert recently addressed whether he is worried about potential fallout with President Trump.
Fallon (pictured left) and Kimmel (pictured right) gave Colbert an unusual send-off by going dark in late-night solidarity. Instead, their shows aired reruns
In a new interview with People, he insisted he has ‘no fear’ of the current administration.
‘I mean, how silly would it be? The ending of the show aside, which people can speculate about all they want, and I can’t argue with their speculations, but we’re clowns. How much does it diminish the office of the Presidency to even notice what we say?’ he said.
He continued, ‘[Trump] needs to know how to pick his battles, metaphorically and literally.’
What Colbert will miss is ‘the camaraderie of us feeling better about our day. I harvest laughter for a living. I’ll miss that as much as I’ll miss the audience.’
He also recalled the moment he heard the news of the cancellation, describing how he was lying on his couch with a sock over his eyes, resting before the show, when his manager dropped the shocking announcement.
‘I sat up and I said, “I’m sorry, I’m awake. Could you say that one more time?”‘
But these days Colbert said he feels as if CBS really ‘saved my life’ by ending The Late Show. ‘It takes a lot of bone marrow to do the show every day, and now I’ll be stepping down with enough time, enough energy to do other things that I want to do,’ he offered.
The star now has more time to spend with his three adult children, Madeleine, 30, Peter, 28, and John, 24, whom he shares with wife of 32 years, Evelyn McGee Colbert.
Colbert added that after his Late Show duties are over, he will attend his brother’s wedding then get to work on writing the new Lord Of The Rings movie with his son, screenwriter Peter.
Apart from that, the comedian said he is ‘available’ for hire.
The film is currently titled The Lord of the Rings: Shadows of the Past, and will be written by Colbert, his son and Philippa Boyens.
CBS insisted the decision to end the show was ‘purely financial’, but the cancellation came just days after Colbert slammed CBS’ $16 million settlement with Trump as ‘a big fat bribe’; Above, Trump on May 15
The announcement came in March via the studio’s various social media platforms, with Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson joining Colbert for a video call.
Colbert shared that the film will be based on chapters Three Is Company through Fog on the Barrow-downs, from J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic high-fantasy novel The Fellowship of the Ring.
This comes amid news from Puck that The Late Show – which reportedly loses $40 million a year – is on track to post their least-viewed January on record with just 285,000 viewers, the worst in the show’s 10-year history.
When Colbert first announced in July 2025 that The Late Show was canceled he kept his response classy, saying: ‘I do want to say that the folks at CBS have been great partners.’
The Late Show will be replaced by Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen, a comedy talk show that will not have political commentary.
Before The Late Show, Colbert spent nine years hosting The Colbert Report on Comedy Central and had been a correspondent on The Daily Show under Stewart.
