First on LateNighter: Stephen Colbert’s Late Show days may be numbered—but he just set a new ratings record.
According to Nielsen Live+3 data, Colbert captured an average weekly share of 12.63% among total viewers last week—his first full week of shows since CBS announced the show’s cancellation. That’s the highest weekly share The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has posted in its entire run, dating back to 2015.
Colbert also logged his best raw ratings in over two years, with an average of 3.059 million total viewers tuning in each night last week—more than his two 11:35 p.m. network competitors combined.
The Late Show‘s numbers were even stronger in the advertiser-coveted 18–49 demo, where Colbert’s weekly average jumped 64% from the previous week, drawing the largest audience of any show in late night.
The week’s top-rated episode aired Monday, when nearly 3.3 million viewers tuned in to see a cadre of fellow late-night hosts join Colbert for a post-monologue comedy bit. That The Late Show retained much of that audience through the rest of the week is no small feat.
In other weekly ratings news, Greg Gutfeld’s Fox News show continued its dominance in the 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT time slot, averaging more than 3.25 million total viewers and 206,000 in the key 18-49 demo nightly.
As we’ve previously reported, The Daily Show also posted unsually strong numbers, with Josh Johnson’s hosting debut breaking records of it own and boosting the show’s viewership among younger audiences by 35% week over week. The Daily Show delivered the second-largest audience in the demo last week—trailing only Colbert.
Complete ratings charts for the week of July 21, 2025 follow below.
Weekly ratings averages include only first-run episodes (rebroadcasts and specials are excluded except where noted). Time period listed is most common airtime for show.
Live+ 3 Ratings — All Viewers (P2+)
| Avg Share (%) | Avg Viewers (000’s) | Vs Last Wk | |
| 10:00 PM | |||
| Gutfeld! (FNC)† 4 first-run episodes | 8.19 | 3,255 | +5% |
| Watch What Happens Live (Bravo)* 4 first-run episodes | 0.79 | 311 | +11% |
| 11:00 PM | |||
| The Daily Show (COM)* 4 first-run episodes | 3.23 | 989 | +17% |
| 11:35 PM | |||
| Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC) 4 first-run episodes | 4.42 | 1,075 | -11% |
| The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS) 4 first-run episodes | 12.63 | 3,059 | +27% |
| The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC) 4 first-run episodes | 4.92 | 1,175 | +10% |
| 12:37 PM | |||
| Nightline (ABC) * 5 first-run episodes | 3.61 | 645 | -15% |
| After Midnight (CBS) 5 repeats | 3.13 | 516 | +12% |
| Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC) 4 first-run episodes | 5.21 | 853 | +1% |
Live+ 3 Ratings — In the Demo (P18-49)
| Avg Share (%) | Avg Viewers (000’s) | Vs Last Wk | |
| 10:00 PM | |||
| Gutfeld! (FNC)† 4 first-run episodes | 3.00 | 206 | -3% |
| Watch What Happens Live (Bravo)* 4 first-run episodes | 1.14 | 78 | +39% |
| 11:00 PM | |||
| The Daily Show (COM)* 4 first-run episodes | 4.21 | 237 | +39% |
| 11:35 PM | |||
| Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC) 4 first-run episodes | 2.61 | 121 | -24% |
| The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS) 4 first-run episode | 6.42 | 296 | +64% |
| The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC) 4 first-run episodes | 3.54 | 161 | +12% |
| 12:37 PM | |||
| Nightline (ABC) * 5 first-run episodes | 1.81 | 65 | -25% |
| After Midnight (CBS) 5 first-run episodes | 2.08 | 70 | +11% |
| Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC) 4 first-run episodes | 2.93 | 97 | +3% |
Ratings data © The Nielsen Company, used under license.
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why people compare a late night talk show to a primetime show I don’t get
Because they think it makes the late night show look bad in comparison? If you compare the raw number of viewers, the prime time shows are miles ahead, and the talk shows look like they’re struggling; to but, if you compare the actual vote shares, the true dominance of the talk show comes to the fore.
Late night can’t get the same number of views as prime time, because fewer people are watching TV at that time. People who want to dunk on late night, twist that fact to make it look like the talk shows are doing poorly.
You’ve missed the point. Late night used to have numbers nearly equal to primetime. Failed comedians like Colbert have tanked that so yes, we can dunk on that.
Failed comedians? Retarded cunt, you don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about! Now you go sit your fucking ass down and shut your fucking moth up now, before I fist blast it shut! Understand, you fucking retard?
Good for Colbert
Whoever this person is that wrote this comment, “
Carelian AUGUST 1, 2025 AT 12:53 PM
You’ve missed the point. Late night used to have numbers nearly equal to primetime. Failed comedians like Colbert have tanked that so yes, we can dunk on that.”
Would have replied directly but no reply button. You are so beyond clueless and just a guess but you could not possibly have been raised in the US or you are very young. Over 50 to 75% of households have all their lights off between 9 and 10 pm M -Thru. Actually believe that is more like 75% by 9:30. In rural areas it is way earlier as they have to get up earlier.
So how could any of them remotely even watch the evening news. Let alone what comes on after. Why do you think Fox comes on at 10 and wins that time slot. Also would like to point out the huge majority that watch are over the 49 age demographic. Look at the chart.
Suppose you have never notice that Comedies ad family stuff are at 8. Then no kid stuff at 9 and by 10, violence and adult content is all that is on. It has always been been like that. You probably are not even aware why. A long as there has been TV not sure 50 or 60 and not a huge amount of programs or people with TV. So let’s say from 1970 until now. Kids do some homework after school and play. Then come in do homework or guess video games. Then get ready for dinner between 5:30 and 7 depending on when ready and family home. Then homework final stuff where parents help if thy can. At 8 little TV then off to bed. Many parents or people that work and commute fall asleep between 9 and 10. So yes the highest watched TV called Primetime all these years for a reason is between 8 and 10. Lucky over 30 years ago something was developed that let you prerecord without programming a VCR your shows. So now you missed nothing and were able to record things on while you sleep. Got better then with Satelite for 25 years I at least had East and West Coast Programs. I had everything recorded. I rarely watched live Tv as I could fast forward thru commercials. Due to you massive ignorance on American Television habits. Thought I would share, your comment was beyond to ignorant and inaccurate to pass up. By the way Steven Colbert is not only an amazing Comic. But what all Late Night did thru Covid the only live TV other than News. They did from their homes. Steven Colbert is an amazing human who calmed you down and made you laugh when there was o much daily horror. Jimmy Fallon you learned is a Mrs. Doubtfire type father who has a amazing wife who let him redo their home into a man-kid cave. Everything for believe little girls. Also great dogs. James Gordon if i recall did initial part at home. ut then they were live in the studio without an audience. Seth well think he was up in an attic in his home. You call them comedians. Well yep that was and is their profession. But unique in that the first 15 minutes of their show. They do stand up on events that happened the last 24 hours since they were on, most hours before. Shows done from LA done at 4 in te afternoon. Not much time to rehearse. All of them Amazing people. Jimmy Kimbell coming on when his young child serious medical issues. Saw today he put up a ad on a Bulletin Board high in the sky. Voting for Steven Colbert for best Emmy which Jimmy Kimbell is also up for. These 4 men Steven, Seth, Jimmy and Jimmy are the light of so many American days after watching the idiot in the White House be the lowest level of human being one can believe. Then we get to laugh with them then calmed down fall asleep. Best mental health around. Love the Daily show but this is about Late Night. Sorry so long but so sick the last eight years of the huge amount of ignorance that put this idiot in office. This is who I remembered from when I first heard of him when he was divorcing his first wife.