CBS officially announced Stephen Colbert will replace Late Show host David Letterman when he steps down next year. Colbert had been speculated to be one of the immediate front-runners to replace the late-night legend thanks to his near-decade of serving as host of Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report.
On his Comedy Central show, Colbert embodies a persona satirizing conservative cable-news hosts. One would think Colbert will drop the shtick when he moves to broadcast television in an effort to appeal to a wider audience.
CNN’s Brian Stetler reports that Colbert will get a five-year contract with CBS.
“Simply being a guest on David Letterman’s show has been a highlight of my career,” Colbert said in a statement. “I never dreamed that I would follow in his footsteps, though everyone in late night follows Dave’s lead.”
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go grind a gap in my front teeth,” he quipped.