Fact Check: Are Stephen Colbert and Rachel Maddow launching new show together?

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: When CBS dropped the bomb that 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' would be axed in May 2026 for “financial reasons,” many on social media lost their minds.

The hysteria eventually led to a viral rumor claiming Colbert wasn’t taking the cancellation sitting down.

Instead, the chatter suggested he was teaming up with MSNBC’s queen of cable, Rachel Maddow, for a brand-new late-night show that would blow the doors off network TV as we know it.

Claim: Stephen Colbert teams up with Rachel Maddow for new show

The headline making the rounds on Facebook read, "Shocking twist: After 'The Late Show' cancellation, Stephen Colbert teams up with Rachel Maddow for explosive new show—is this the future of late-night TV?"

The rumor mill was firing on all cylinders thanks to posts like this, which raked in over 100,000 reactions.

“In a jaw-dropping turn of events, Stephen Colbert, following the sudden cancellation of 'The Late Show,' has announced a bold new partnership with none other than Rachel Maddow for an explosive new program," the post read.

"Could this dynamic duo redefine the landscape of late-night television? The reunion of these two media powerhouses is already causing waves, and fans are wondering if CBS regrets letting Colbert go."

“The new show promises to be a game-changer, blending Colbert’s wit with Maddow’s insightful commentary, a combination that could keep viewers hooked for years to come. But with such a bold move, is this the future of entertainment or a risky gamble that could backfire?” it asked. 

Fact Check: False, no evidence to back the viral claim

Snopes quickly investigated the rumor and found no evidence to support the claim.

No credible media outlet reported that Stephen Colbert had announced a new show with Rachel Maddow. A quick Google search for “Colbert new show Maddow” turned up nothing but recycled social media posts and dubious websites.

Colbert has remained silent on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, and Maddow has made no mention of a collaboration. MSNBC went a step further, telling Snopes via email that the claim was “absolutely bogus.”

Meanwhile, CBS’s parent company, Paramount, declined to comment.

The fake story originated from several click-farm-style websites, many branded with a “USA News” logo. It's reportedly the same group behind an earlier false claim about Maddow allegedly having a baby via surrogacy. These sketchy sites are essentially digital tabloids on steroids, and they might not even be written by real people.

Snopes ran a portion of one such article through the AI content detection tool GPTZero, which concluded with “high confidence” that the text was AI-generated.

The article in question, titled "A Stunning Comeback in the Making", even hedged its own claim, never fully confirming the supposed announcement.

"In a turn of events that has the entertainment world buzzing, sources close to the industry suggest that Stephen Colbert, fresh off the cancellation of 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,' is set to join forces with MSNBC's powerhouse host Rachel Maddow for an electrifying new venture," it read.

"Dubbed The Rachel Maddow and Stephen Colbert Show, this hypothetical collaboration could launch as early as late 2026, filling the void left by CBS’s bold decision to end its 33-year late-night legacy in May of that year," the post continued.

"Imagine the dynamic: Colbert’s razor-sharp humor paired with Maddow’s incisive political analysis, creating a late-night hybrid that blends comedy, commentary, and cultural critique like never before. Could this be the lifeline late-night TV desperately needs, or a risky experiment that leaves traditional networks scrambling?"

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