The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to debut Sept. 8, 2015; CBS to rerun primetime in late-night over the summer after Letterman’s retirement

CBS Entertainment Chair Nina Tassler told TV critics Monday during the TCA Winter Press Tour what most astute viewers probably already had figured out: Stephen Colbert’s edition of The Late Show will kick off this September.

Specifically, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015 — the night after Labor Day.

The Late Show with David Letterman makes its final bow on Wednesday, May 20.

What about the summer, then? Tassler said CBS will broadcast repeat hours from its regular primetime programming.

That might provide an extra-special boost to one or more critical faves from the sitcom and drama slates at the Eye Network. Or they could just plug in more Big Bang just to win the hour? Oh, no. Now I’ve told them the secret to syndicated programming?!

Colbert will shoot out of the same Ed Sullivan Theater in Midtown Manhattan that Letterman has used since 1993, but Colbert’s writing and production staff already has moved into separate, new offices.

“The production office is open, the premiere date is set, and we’re incredibly excited to welcome the creative and comedic genius of Stephen Colbert to CBS late night this fall,” Tassler said.

“I have nine months to make a show, just like a baby. So first, I should find out how you make a baby,” said Colbert.

What will the real Colbert look like now that he’s shed the “Stephen Colbert” persona that won back-to-back Emmys for variety show writing and variety series this year and last for Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report? Too soon to tell.

“This is really an additive process,” Tassler told the TCAs. “He’s brought almost his whole creative team from ‘The Colbert Report’ with him. He will have music on the show. He’s said, repeatedly, that ‘I have to be as entertaining as my guests,’ so he will certainly have guests on his show. Whether he’s going to start with a monologue, he’s working on that right now. But clearly, he knows that he is introducing himself — the real Stephen Colbert — to this audience. And he’s really putting a lot of attention into making sure the show is still topical, is still relevant, is still dealing with current events.”

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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