Following Stephen Colbert's departure from CBS, the late-night television landscape saw a significant shift in viewership on June 1.

"Jimmy Kimmel Live!" emerged as the dominant program in the competitive 11:35 p.m.

time slot, according to live and same-day Nielsen data.

This marks the first night that both ABC's Jimmy Kimmel and NBC's Jimmy Fallon returned with new episodes since Colbert's final broadcast.

"Jimmy Kimmel Live!" attracted 2.185 million total viewers, representing a 53% increase year-over-year.

The show also performed strongly in the key 18-49 demographic, drawing 295,000 viewers, a substantial 178% rise from the same night last year.

This performance highlights a notable change in late-night viewing habits.

NBC's "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" secured the second position with 1.301 million total viewers, showing a 10% increase from the previous year.

In the 18-49 demographic, Fallon's show saw a 14% increase, reaching 194,000 viewers.

CBS, which replaced Colbert's "The Late Show" with Byron Allen's "Comics Unleashed," trailed significantly.

"Comics Unleashed" garnered only 628,000 total viewers, marking a 65% decrease for the time slot compared to the previous year.

The show also struggled in the 18-49 demographic, with just 82,000 viewers.

CBS's New Late-Night Strategy

CBS has adopted a unique "time buy" deal with Byron Allen for the 11:35 p.m.

slot.

Under this arrangement, Allen covers all production costs for "Comics Unleashed" and retains the rights to sell advertising.

This means that Allen, rather than CBS, directly bears the impact of the show's ratings.

CBS stated that this model is a strategic move to address the financial challenges of late-night programming.

The network previously indicated that this shift would transform an hour that was losing approximately $40 million annually into a $15 million profit, resulting in a $55 million swing.

A source familiar with the matter suggested that this model insulates CBS from fluctuating audience and advertiser trends.

Colbert, who hosted "The Late Show" for over a decade after taking over from David Letterman in 2015, signed off last month with Paul McCartney as his final guest.

CBS had announced the end of the Colbert era in July 2025, citing it as a "purely financial decision." However, the timing of the announcement, days after Colbert criticized CBS for settling a lawsuit with Donald Trump, led to speculation.

Trump himself commented on Colbert's departure, stating, "I absolutely love that Colbert got fired.

His talent was even less than his ratings." Letterman also weighed in, suggesting that CBS's claims were disingenuous.