During a July 17 taping, Colbert announced the cancellation of The Late Show. Colbert, who took over from David Letterman as host in September 2015, said he was "grateful" for being given a chair and a "beautiful theater to call home," as well as his viewers from "all around the world."

"We’re in a time where the right price can silence the voice of free speech, which we should be very, very conscious of,” said Batiste.

Acclaimed musician Jon Batiste has addressed the axing of Stephen Colbert’s talk show—and hinted at his friend’s next move. Batiste, a Grammy and Oscar winner himself, was bandleader and musical director of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert from its beginning in 2015 until 2022.