Colbert’s ‘Late Show’ contract extended

NEW YORK — Stephen Colbert has agreed to a contract extension that will keep him hosting “The Late Show” for three more years.

His original contract was due to expire at the end of this year, but with the new agreement, Colbert will continue as host and executive producer through 2026, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

CBS president and CEO George Cheeks shared the news Tuesday while speaking at the Banff World Media Festival in Alberta, Canada.

“[Colbert] is happy — not so happy right now as they’re not working — but they’re really happy and it’s a really cohesive group that is firing on all cylinders, and Stephen is really enjoying himself,” Cheeks said. “We just extended [the contract] for another three years, and I was praying that was going to happen.”

Since May 2, Colbert’s show has been broadcasting reruns due to the strike initiated by the Writers Guild of America, standing in solidarity with the writers as they fight for an equitable deal.

This new contract guarantees that Colbert will ultimately pass the decade mark hosting “The Late Show,” which he took over in 2015, succeeding legendary host David Letterman.

For the past several seasons, Colbert has been the most watched late night talk show host, and was averaging 2.14 million viewers per week before the strike.