A major shakeup is coming to late-night television as CBS prepares to move on from its longtime flagship program and replace it with a new comedy lineup.
According to the New York Post, the network announced it will begin airing back-to-back episodes of “Comics Unleashed,” hosted by Byron Allen, in the coveted 11:35 p.m. slot starting next season.
The move comes as “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” nears its end. Host Stephen Colbert is set to wrap his 11-year run on May 22, marking the end of an era for the network.
CBS said the first episode of Allen’s show in the new time slot will debut immediately after Colbert signs off.
“Comics Unleashed,” which first premiered on CBS in 2006, features a rotating panel of comedians. Over the years, it has included names like Sebastian Maniscalco, Tiffany Haddish, Gabriel Iglesias, Cedric the Entertainer, and Nate Bargatze.
In addition to the shift, Allen will also bring his game show, Funny You Should Ask, to the late-night lineup. Hosted by Jon Kelley, the show will air at 12:35 a.m. with back-to-back episodes on weekdays.
“I created and launched ‘Comics Unleashed’ 20 years ago so my fellow comedians could have a platform to do what we all love – make people laugh,” Allen said.
“I truly appreciate CBS’ confidence in me by picking up our two-hour comedy block of ‘Comics Unleashed’ and ‘Funny You Should Ask,’ because the world can never have enough laughter.”
The decision follows CBS’ announcement last year that it would exit the traditional late-night format altogether, despite Colbert’s show leading ratings in its category.
Network executives previously described the cancellation as “a purely financial decision against a challenging backdrop of late night,” emphasizing it was “not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”
At the time, Skydance Media was working to acquire CBS parent company Paramount Global in a deal valued at $8.4 billion.
Colbert, known for his sharp criticism of President Donald Trump, addressed speculation about the cancellation in November.
“It’s a reasonable thing to think,” the decision was politically motivated, he said, though he declined to “engage in that speculation.”
