Stephen Colbert refused CBS's suggestion of guest hosts during his absence as he 'feared' getting replaced

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Late-night host Stephen Colbert, who recently took a hiatus from the show due to a ruptured appendix, was reportedly fretting over his prolonged absence from his CBS show, as per sources from RadarOnline.com.

Stephen Colbert feared getting replaced from late-light show

Insiders suggested that Colbert, 59, declined the network's proposal to feature a series of comedians as rotating hosts, fearing a replacement might have stolen his limelight.

"Colbert's decision to stick with reruns highlights a deep level of insecurity," an insider familiar with the situation revealed to the National Enquirer.

"The concern that a substitute host might overshadow him reveals the extent of his underlying fear and paranoia," added the source.

Reports allege that the 59-year-old comedian strongly opposed CBS's efforts to persuade him to consider the guest host option.

"Stephen is not exactly a 'pass the baton' type," said a tipster about the late-night host.

"He pushed a lot of people out of the way to get this job, and there's no chance of him handing over the reins to someone who might want to push him out of the way too!"

RadarOnline.com sought comments from representatives for Colbert and CBS on this matter.

Colbert's comeback: a humorous return and quips about health scares

Colbert, renowned for his satirical commentary on politics, pop culture, and current events, was sidelined for three weeks due to the potentially life-threatening appendix rupture.

During his return to the CBS stage on Monday night, Colbert humorously addressed his unexpected absence, maintaining the style fans have embraced since his 'Comedy Central' days in The Colbert Report.

The host shared details about suffering excruciating pain during a back-to-back taping on November 20. "I was in a heap of trouble," Colbert quipped during Monday night's opening monologue, according to NBC News.

Louis Cato, Colbert's band leader, chimed in, remarking, "I knew something was wrong when, for the first time in almost nine years, you had to rehearse the monologue sitting at the desk with a barf bucket next to you."

Colbert, in his comedic style, lightened the mood by joking about potentially contracting something from David Letterman's beard during their previous meeting.