Stephen Colbert may be saying goodbye to The Late Show in May 2026, but CBS isn’t done with him just yet — and in the most gloriously ironic way possible.

The 61-year-old comedy icon is set to guest star in an upcoming episode of the network’s quirky crime-comedy Elsbeth, playing Scotty Bristol — a pompous, self-obsessed late-night host who gets murdered in the opening scene.

And here’s the kicker: the script was written months before CBS announced it was pulling the plug on Colbert’s top-rated talk show.

Variety confirmed the casting in August 2025, just weeks after the cancellation bombshell. The episode, titled “Yes, And…”, aired as the Season 3 premiere on October 12, 2025 — and it’s already being hailed as one of the most self-aware moments in TV history.

In the cold open, Scotty Bristol (Colbert) struts onto his glitzy late-night set, oozing arrogance as he mocks his staff, flirts with fame, and brags about his ratings. Then — bam — he’s found dead backstage, strangled with his own microphone cord. Cue Elsbeth Tascioni (Carrie Preston), the eccentric ex-lawyer turned NYPD observer, who arrives with her signature wide-eyed curiosity and offbeat logic to crack the case.

The suspect list? Everyone from his fed-up producer to a jealous rival host. The motive? Pure late-night ego.

Colbert’s appearance was born from a playful moment on The Late Show back in February 2025. During a chat with Elsbeth star Wendell Pierce (Captain Wagner), Colbert jokingly said, “I want to be a corpse on a crime show. Just lie there. No lines. Easy gig.”

Pierce, without missing a beat, replied: “I can make that happen. I know people.”

Fast forward six months — and the joke became reality. Series writer Jonathan Tolins penned the role of Scotty Bristol specifically for Colbert, long before anyone knew The Late Show was on the chopping block.

The timing couldn’t be more deliciously awkward.

When news broke in July 2025 that CBS was ending Colbert’s show due to “financial reasons” — despite it being the #1 late-night program — fans immediately speculated political pressure tied to Paramount’s $16 million Trump settlement. Then, just weeks later, Colbert shows up on the same network… as a late-night host who gets killed off in under five minutes.

Talk about life imitating art.

Carrie Preston told The Daily Beast she was “nervous” filming with Colbert so soon after the cancellation news. “I kept thinking, ‘Are we the bravest writers in Hollywood or the most tone-deaf?’” she laughed. “But Stephen walked in like a pro — cracking jokes, nailing takes, and even ad-libbing a line about ‘network loyalty.’”

In one scene, Elsbeth examines Bristol’s desk and finds a framed photo of him with a golden Emmy — engraved “#1 in Our Hearts (and Ratings).” Another gag: a sticky note on his script reading, “Reminder: Renew before May.”

Subtle? Not even a little.

Elsbeth — a spin-off of The Good Wife and The Good Fight — has built a cult following with its “murder-of-the-week” format, quirky humor, and A-list guest stars. Past victims-turned-suspects include Nathan Lane as a Broadway diva, Laura Benanti as a wedding planner, and Retta as a reality TV judge. Now Colbert joins the pantheon — and steals the show, even in death.

The episode was filmed in late July 2025, just one week after Colbert learned his fate. Crew members say he showed zero bitterness. “He was the happiest guy on set,” one production staffer shared. “Telling stories, doing impressions, even helping Carrie with her lines. Class act.”

Colbert’s Scotty Bristol is a pitch-perfect parody: slick hair, tailored suit, fake tan, and a laugh that screams “I own 11:35.” His opening monologue? A takedown of streaming services, cancel culture, and “fake news” — sound familiar?

When Elsbeth asks a suspect, “Did Mr. Bristol have any enemies?” the reply comes instantly: “Only everyone who ever worked for him.”

Fans online are losing it.

One X user posted: “Colbert playing a late-night host murdered by his own network is the most 2025 thing ever. 🔥” Another wrote: “CBS canceled him… then hired him to play a guy who gets canceled permanently. Poetry.”

Ratings for the Elsbeth premiere spiked 28% from the Season 2 average, with Colbert’s name trending worldwide within minutes of airtime.

CBS execs, meanwhile, are staying quiet — likely praying the irony doesn’t fuel more conspiracy talk.

But Colbert? He’s leaning in.

During a press junket, he grinned: “Look, if you’re gonna go out, go out with a mic cord around your neck and Carrie Preston solving your murder. That’s showbiz.”

Elsbeth Season 3 continues Thursdays at 10/9c on CBS and streams on Paramount+. Episode 2 teases a cameo from another late-night alum — but lips are sealed.

One thing’s clear: Stephen Colbert may be leaving the Ed Sullivan Theater, but he’s not done roasting the system — or playing its most memorable corpse.

In a TV landscape full of reboots and revivals, this guest spot isn’t just clever.

It’s a mic drop in a body bag.

And America can’t stop laughing.