Stephen Colbert's "The Late Show" wins an Emmy despite cancellation

"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" was awarded "Best Talk Show" at the 2025 Emmys and received a standing ovation from the prominent audience. The star-studded crowd called out Colbert's name as he and his team took the stage - just months before the show's planned end in May 2026. "Thank you for this honor," said Colbert, thanking CBS and his 200-person team: "You are the pros - and I am so proud to be one of you." He paid tribute to his family and his late assistant Amy Cole before reflecting on the show's central themes - love and loss. "In September 2015, Spike Jonze came to my office and asked, 'Hey, what is this show supposed to be about?' And I said, 'I'd like to do a late-night comedy about love.' But at a certain point, I realized that in a way, we had made a comedy show about loss," explained Colbert. And further: "Ten years later, in September 2025, my friends, I have never loved my country so desperately as now. God bless America." At the beginning of the evening, Colbert had already presented the gala's first award, joking, "Now that I have your attention... Does anyone need new employees?" CBS announced in July that "The Late Show" will be discontinued in 2026 - officially due to financial reasons. However, many suspect that political pressure may have also played a role in the decision.