Late-Night Hosts Unite in Support of Stephen Colbert After Show Cancellation

Some of the biggest names in late-night television have united to show support for cancelled Stephen Colbert, as The Late Show host used his first show back to declare to the US president that the 'gloves are off'.

Last Week Tonight's John Oliver, The Tonight Show's Jimmy Fallon, The Daily Show's Jon Stewart and Late Night's Seth Meyers were among the celebrities to appear in the audience during a parody sketch on the show on Monday, local time.

Last week, Colbert announced that his top-rated American late-night show had been cancelled by CBS and will end in May after the upcoming broadcast season.

And while his axing may bring The Late Show franchise to an end after 33 years, it means for the next 10 months 'the gloves are off', Colbert declared in his opening monologue, which he directed at Donald Trump.

'Over the weekend, it sunk in that they're killing off our show. But, they made one mistake: they left me alive.

'I can finally speak unvarnished truth to power and say what I really think about Donald Trump, starting now.'

He added that he 'didn't care for him' and thought he 'doesn't have the skill set to be president'.

Colbert also joked about show's demise, stating that 'cancel culture has gone too far' and suggested the show's theatre would become a self-storage building.

Colbert's late-night rivals were also joined on Monday night's episode by Anderson Cooper, Bravo's Andy Cohen, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Weird Al Yankovic, Adam Sandler and Christopher McDonald.

The celebrities and hosts, which the show's Instagram called 'supportive kings' appeared in a kiss cam parody sketch poking fun at the viral Coldplay CEO affair saga.

Fallon and NBC colleague Meyers were 'spotted' on the kiss cam sharing beers together, while Colbert's former colleagues on The Daily Show Oliver and Stewart were (enthusiastically) seated together.

Supporters flock to the Ed Sullivan Theatre in New York City in wake of the cancellation of The Late Show.

US media is reporting that CBS's parent company, Paramount, is seeking approval from the US Federal Communications Commission for a merger with Skydance Media, in a deal worth $US8.4 billion ($12.9 billion).

This month, Paramount also agreed to pay Mr Trump $US16 million over an interview with former vice-president Kamala Harris on CBS's 60 Minutes program broadcast in October.

Before his cancellation, Colbert joked on the show the deal was a 'big fat bribe' — and said the company settled primarily to clear a hurdle to the Skydance sale.

In the wake of the cancellation, CBS executives clarified it was 'purely a financial decision' before an anonymous CBS source leaked that they pulled the show because of losses pegged between $US40 to $US50million.

Colbert on Monday was quick to point out the irony in the top-rating show operating at a loss.

Stewart used his monologue on The Daily Show, which runs on Paramount-owned Comedy Central, to blame Colbert's cancellation on 'fear and pre-compliance' in the current US climate.

Mr Trump wrote on his own TruthSocial said that 'absolutely love that Colbert got fired' and that the host's talent was 'even less than his ratings'.

Colbert's response?

'How dare you, sir. Would an untalented man be able to compose the following satirical witticism? Go f*** yourself.'

According to the source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation.