Late Show with Stephen Colbert cancelled due to host's appendix surgery

Late-night television viewers were surprised this week as CBS announced the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert due to the host's recovery from surgery for a ruptured appendix. The news was shared in a brief statement on the show's official social media account, Threads, with Colbert injecting his signature humour into the situation.

In the statement, Colbert, 59, joked about a possible Thanksgiving-related mishap, stating, "Sorry to say that I have to cancel our shows this week. I’m sure you’re thinking, 'Turkey overdose, Steve? Gravy boat capsize?' Actually, I’m recovering from surgery for a ruptured appendix."

Expressing his appreciation, Colbert thanked his medical team for their care and his family, playfully adding, "Going forward, all emails to my appendix will be handled by my pancreas."

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While the announcement shed light on the reason behind the show's cancellation, specific details such as when Colbert underwent surgery, the duration of his hospitalisation, and whether he has been discharged were not provided. Requests for additional information from Colbert's representatives remained unanswered at the time of reporting.

This marks the second disruption in The Late Show production schedule since its return in October, following the resolution of a Writers Guild of America strike. Previously, Colbert hosted an episode from home after testing positive for COVID-19, leading to the cancellation of the rest of that week's shows.

The unplanned hiatus has also affected the guest lineup for this week, with notable figures such as Jennifer Garner, Baz Luhrmann, Jon Batiste, Patrick Stewart, Barbra Streisand, and Kelsey Grammer originally scheduled to appear.