Summary
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert cancels shows for the week due to emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix. Humorous social media post shared the news.
- Colbert has previously faced medical issues and had to cancel episodes, after testing positive for COVID-19.
- The Late Show guest lineup for the canceled week included Jennifer Garner, Baz Luhrmann, Patrick Stewart, and Kelsey Grammer.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has canceled all episodes for the week of November 27 as host Stephen Colbert recovers from emergency surgery. Colbert shared news of this week’s cancelation through a humorous social media post, in which he revealed that he had undergone a medical procedure for a ruptured appendix (via The Late Show‘s Instagram page):
“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. I’m grateful to my doctors for their care and to [wife] Evie and the kids for putting up with me. Going forward, all emails to my appendix will be handled by my pancreas,” he joked.
www.instagram.com/p/C0KNrJLxXMi/?hl=en
The post has been flooded with well-wishes from viewers hoping for a speedy recovery for the late-night host.
Colbert was set to return to his late-night hosting duties on Tuesday, November 28, with CBS having scheduled a rerun of the show featuring MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow and singer Gracie Abrams on Monday (following the Thanksgiving weekend).
This is the second time that Colbert has been forced to cancel episodes due to medical issues. He returned to the Ed Sullivan Theater on Monday, October 2, following the conclusion of the 148-day writers’ strike, but mid-month, Colbert had to cancel several episodes of The Late Show after testing positive for COVID-19. Following that diagnosis, Colbert hosted an episode from home (like he had previously done during the pandemic), but he announced on October 18 that “per doctor’s orders,” he would be resting rather than hosting.
Scheduled Appearances for this Week’s (Now Canceled) The Late Show
This week’s The Late Show guest lineup included Jennifer Garner and Baz Luhrmann on Tuesday, Patrick Stewart on Wednesday, and Kelsey Grammer stopping by on Thursday. Former The Late Show bandleader Jon Batiste (who exited the series in 2022) was set to appear on Wednesday for a chat with Colbert and a performance.
Colbert began hosting The Late Show in 2015, succeeding David Letterman, who served as the show’s frontrunner from 1993 to 2015. Last week, the two men (and the popular CBS show) made headlines as Letterman made his first return to the show as a guest. Letterman was welcomed with a standing ovation and chants, and during his conversation with Colbert, he took time to congratulate him and his crew for the show’s ongoing success:
“By the way, congratulations on the great success you and your staff have had. It must be very, very gratifying and as a handful of people recognized, it’s not easy, but you make it look very easy. So, again, congratulations to you and the entire staff.”
With Colbert at the helm, The Late Show has continued a triumphant run. During Letterman’s extensive time as host, the series earned 6 Emmy Awards (from 16 nominations). Under Colbert’s direction, it has earned one Peabody award and six nominations for the Emmy for Outstanding Variety Talk Series.
No official date for new episodes of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to recommence has been announced at this point.
