Stephen Colbert Guest-Stars as Murdered TV Host in ‘Elsbeth’

“Late Show” host Stephen Colbert has guest-starred in the quirky detective series “Elsbeth,” where he portrayed a fictional talk show host who is murdered.

Background on Colbert’s Show

Colbert announced to his viewers in July that CBS plans to cancel his program in the spring of 2026. The cancellation of the show comes after the network and its parent company reached a settlement with President Donald Trump this summer, following his lawsuit against both for “election interference” related to a “60 Minutes” interview edit of his 2024 rival, then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

A New Role Amid Real-Life News

This week, however, the talk show host is making new headlines for his role in the Season 3 premiere of “Elsbeth.” Colbert played the title host of “Way Late with Scotty Bristol,” a late-night talk show, who is ultimately killed by his own executive producer. According to IMDb, the series “Elsbeth” centers on an “Astute but unconventional attorney Elsbeth Tascioni utilizes her singular point of view to make unique observations and corner brilliant criminals alongside the NYPD.”

A Coincidental Storyline

Amid recent controversies in late-night television, from the cancellation of Colbert’s show to the temporary suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” some observers, such as culture writer Emma Fraser, suggested in The Daily Beast that one “might be under the impression that showrunner Jonathan Tolins is taking a ripped-from-the-headlines approach to the popular series.” However, the reality is more nuanced, as showrunner Tolins is said to have written the episode prior to Colbert’s announcement that his show was ending.

Cast Reactions and Character Details

“The first thing that he [Colbert] said to me was, ‘Wow, everybody’s gonna think that the Elsbeth writers have the biggest balls in Hollywood,’” Carrie Preston, who portrays the lead character, told The Daily Beast. While Colbert plays a talk show host who is murdered, the character he portrays does not seem to be based on his own personality. “Scotty isn’t the kindest TV star or boss, which is why his executive producer, Laurel (Amy Sedaris), turns a paper shredder into a murder weapon,” Fraser noted. “Although they have the same job, Scotty Bristol is not the loving, accepting, wonderful, and welcoming person that Stephen Colbert is,” Preston added.