Late Night Ratings: Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Note: LateNighter generally posts late night daily ratings on a two (business) day delay, which is how they are released by Nielsen.

Most of the late-night shows saw viewership growth—on a day-to-day and week-to-week basis—this past Tuesday, May 21, 2024.

CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert came out on top at 11:35 p.m. on Tuesday, both in total and P18-49 viewing.

Per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data for May 21, 2024, Colbert’s Late Show averaged 2,057,000 total viewers with 255,000 P18-49 viewers. Those solid figures for the program, up +12% and +11%, respectively, from the night before (May 20); +3% and +39%, respectively, from the prior Tuesday episode (May 14). Billie Eilish was Colbert’s guest. Angie Swan and Lakecia Benjamin sat in with Louis Cato & the Late Show Band.

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!  averaged 1,571,000 total viewers with 211,000 P18-49 viewers this past Tuesday. That’s -2% but +33%, respectively, from the night before. ABC did not submit ratings data to Nielsen for last week’s rebroadcasts. However, compared to the most recent new Tuesday episode (May 7), JKL shed -6% in total viewers but gained +2% in P18-49. Kevin Costner, and Pamela Adlon appeared Tuesday’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! HARDY, and Slash both performed on the program.

NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon averaged 1,311,000 total viewers with 222,000 P18-49 viewers this past Tuesday, edging Kimmel by a slim +1,000 demo viewers. Fallon’s Tonight Show gained +12% in total viewers and +8% in P18-49 from the night before; -14% and -11%, respectively, from the previous Tuesday episode. Bill Maher, Rose Byrne, and Andrew Jarecki were Fallon’s guests this past Tuesday. ZAYN performed on the program.

NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers is dark this week (preceding the Memorial Day holiday), and televised a rebroadcast of its April 10, 2024 episode this past Tuesday. The telecast averaged 760,000 total viewers with 136,000 P18-49 viewers at 12:36 a.m. That’s up +7% in total viewers, but -5% in P18-49 viewers from the night before; -6% but +11%, respectively, from previous Tuesday’s episode (a new one).

CBS’ After Midnight averaged 781,000 total live-plus-same-day viewers with 162,000 P18-49 viewers at 12:36 a.m., solid numbers for the program. After Midnight gained +46% in total viewers and +33% in demo viewers from the night before; +18% in total viewers and +50% in demo viewers from the previous Tuesday’s episode. Jim Rash, Nat Faxon, and Stephanie Courtney appeared on the Taylor Tomlinson-led program.

ABC’s Nightline aired a new episode this past Tuesday, which averaged 946,000 total viewers with 135,000 P18-49 viewers. That represents a +13% gain in total viewers, and +7% in P18-49 viewers from the night before, as well as +49% and +59% in those aforementioned measurements versus the previous Tuesday episode.

Lastly, per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data, the Michael Kosta-led Tuesday, May 21 Daily Show averaged 433,000 total viewers and 92,000 P18-49 viewers. That’s -38% and -39%, respectively, from the previous night’s episode (hosted by Jon Stewart), +10% in total viewers but -20% in P18-49 viewers from the previous Tuesday episode (hosted by Desi Lydic). Sebastian Junger was Kosta’s guest on Tuesday’s Daily Show.

Live+SD ratings (18-49 demo only)

Live+SD ratings (All Viewers 2+)

© The Nielsen Company, used under license.