Allen to Supply Late Night Programming to CBS

In a strategic shift aimed at reducing programming costs, CBS is outsourcing its late-night television hours to media mogul Byron Allen. The Paramount-owned network announced Monday, April 6, 2026, that Allen’s programs will grab over the time slots currently occupied by one of the most prominent figures in late-night comedy.

The transition marks the end of an era for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which will conclude its 11-year run on May 21. Colbert, who succeeded the legendary David Letterman, had been a staple of the network’s lineup since taking over the role of host for the show that originally launched in 1993 according to the Los Angeles Times.

Byron Allen will supply two programs to fill the void: Comics Unleashed and Funny Try to Ask. These shows will occupy the 11:35 p.m. And 12:35 a.m. Time slots, respectively. While Comics Unleashed has already been airing in the 12:35 a.m. Hour since last June—following the end of After Midnight With Taylor Tomlinson—it will move to the earlier hour starting in September for the full 2026-27 TV season.

The Financial Logic of the CBS-Allen Deal

From a corporate perspective, the decision to replace Stephen Colbert with Byron Allen’s content is driven by a desire to slash production expenses. In a departure from traditional network programming, CBS is effectively selling its time to Allen. This arrangement provides a major financial windfall for the network because Allen pays CBS for the hours and covers the total production costs of his programs as reported by the Los Angeles Times.

In exchange for funding the production and paying for the airtime, Allen’s company receives the majority of the commercial units within the programs. This allows his media group to sell the advertising space directly, shifting the financial risk and reward from the network to the producer. When discussing the cost-effectiveness of this model, Allen noted that while It’s not “cheaper,” the cost to the network is “zero.”

Understanding the New Late-Night Lineup

The two programs entering the CBS rotation offer different approaches to comedy and variety. Comics Unleashed is a talk show featuring Byron Allen and a rotating group of four comedians who integrate material from their stand-up routines into the broadcast. This show is slated to become the primary anchor of the late-night block starting in September 2026.

Complementing this is Funny You Should Ask, another program hosted by Allen. Unlike the talk-heavy format of Comics Unleashed, this show utilizes a quiz show format featuring comedians. This program is not new to the airwaves; it has been running in syndication since 2017 per verified reports.

Late-Night Transition Timeline

Broader Implications for Network Television

The move by CBS reflects a wider trend in the media industry where traditional networks are struggling with the high costs of original late-night programming. By outsourcing the time slots to a media mogul like Byron Allen, CBS is pivoting from a content-creator model to a platform-provider model for its late-night hours.

This shift effectively removes the production burden from the network while ensuring the time slots remain filled with content that has established syndication or production history. For Allen, the deal expands his footprint on a major national network, providing his company with significant control over advertising inventory and visibility.

The next confirmed checkpoint for viewers is May 21, 2026, which will mark the final broadcast of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert before the network begins its transition toward the new 2026-27 TV season in September.

We invite our readers to share their thoughts on this shift in late-night television in the comments below.