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Stephen Colbert to replace David Letterman as CBS Late Show host Stephen Colbert to replace David Letterman as CBS Late Show host
(35 minutes later)
Stephen Colbert, host of the satirical news show The Colbert Report, is to replace David Letterman as host of CBS's Late Show, the network announced on Thursday.Stephen Colbert, host of the satirical news show The Colbert Report, is to replace David Letterman as host of CBS's Late Show, the network announced on Thursday.
Colbert, the host, writer and executive producer of The Colbert Report will be taking over David Letterman’s slot when the longtime Late Show host retires in 2015. CBS said Colbert would replace Letterman when he stands down from one of the most coveted slots on US television in 2015, after 21 years.
"I'm thrilled and grateful that CBS chose me,” Colbert said in a statement. “Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go grind a gap in my front teeth." Colbert hosts his Comedy Central show in character as a spoof conservative cable news anchor. CBS did not directly address the question whether the character would live on, saying only that “specific creative elements” would be announced at a later date.
CBS said in an announcement that it reached a five-year agreement with Colbert and would announce the location of the show at a later date. ”Colbert's premiere date as host of The Late Show will be announced after Mr Letterman determines a timetable for his final broadcasts in 2015,” CBS said. “Stephen Colbert is one of the most inventive and respected forces on television,” said Leslie Moonves, president and CEO of CBS. “David Letterman’s legacy and accomplishments are an incredible source of pride for all of us here, and today’s announcement speaks to our commitment of upholding what he established for CBS in late night.”
Letterman announced he was retiring from The Late Show on 3 April, after hosting the show for 21 years. Letterman announced he was retiring from The Late Show on 3 April. Speculation had put Colbert in the front-runner spot to succeed him in recent days, ahead of Craig Ferguson, the Scottish comedian who hosts a show that follows Letterman. Media reports suggested Ferguson's contract with CBS means that he will get a multi-million dollar windfall if he was passed over for the job.
Colbert has been with Comedy Central since 1997 when he started as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He left the show in 2005 to create The Colbert Report. The network also recently lost The Daily Show correspondent John Oliver to HBO, where he is hosting his own show starting on 27 April. Colbert, whose nightly show originated as a segment on another Comedy Central satirical news broadcast, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, said in a statement: “I'm thrilled and grateful that CBS chose me. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go grind a gap in my front teeth.”
CBS said in an announcement that it reached a five-year agreement with Colbert and would announce the location of the show at a later date. “Colbert's premiere date as host of The Late Show will be announced after Mr Letterman determines a timetable for his final broadcasts in 2015,” CBS said.
Colbert has been with Comedy Central since 1997 when he started as a correspondent on The Daily Show, which he left in 2005 to create The Colbert Report. The network also recently lost The Daily Show correspondent John Oliver to HBO, where he is hosting his own show starting on 27 April.
“Comedy Central is proud that the incredibly talented Stephen Colbert has been part of our family for nearly two decades,” Comedy Central said in a statement. “We look forward to the next eight months of the ground-breaking Colbert Report and wish Stephen the very best.”“Comedy Central is proud that the incredibly talented Stephen Colbert has been part of our family for nearly two decades,” Comedy Central said in a statement. “We look forward to the next eight months of the ground-breaking Colbert Report and wish Stephen the very best.”
The Colbert Report draws about 1.2m viewers nightly, with half of those in the key 18-49 age group desired by advertisers. The Late Show is not as good at drawing young people, proportionally speaking, but it attracts a much larger audience, about 2.9m viewers total. One measure of Colbert's success at CBS will be his ability to continue to attract young viewers. The Colbert Report draws about 1.2m viewers nightly, with half of those in the key 18-49 age group desired by advertisers. The Late Show is not as good at drawing young people, proportionally speaking, but it attracts a much larger audience, about 2.9m viewers in total. One measure of Colbert's success at CBS will be his ability to continue to attract young viewers.
The move is likely to come with a significant raise for Colbert, who made $4.5m in his Comedy Central job in 2012, according to the Los Angeles Times. Letterman's salary that year: $31m, though he took a pay cut the next year. No details of Colbert's new contract were released.The move is likely to come with a significant raise for Colbert, who made $4.5m in his Comedy Central job in 2012, according to the Los Angeles Times. Letterman's salary that year: $31m, though he took a pay cut the next year. No details of Colbert's new contract were released.
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