CBS announced Thursday that Stephen Colbert, who has been host of "The Colbert Report" on Comedy Central since 2005, will replace David Letterman on "The Late Show" when the legendary host retires next year.
Letterman announced his retirement on his CBS show last week after 21 years on the air, though he did not mention a specific date for his 2015 departure.
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"Stephen Colbert is one of the most inventive and respected forces on television," CBS President Leslie Moonves said of the Emmy Award-winning
talk show host in a statement on Thursday, according to The Huffington Post. "David Letterman's legacy and accomplishments are an incredible source of pride for all of us here, and today's announcement speaks to our commitment of upholding what he established for CBS in late night."
"Stephen is a multi-talented and respected host, writer, producer, satirist,and comedian who blazes a trail of thought-provoking conversation, humor, and innovation with everything he touches," Nina Tassler, CBS' entertainment chair, added.
The announcement comes at an interesting time for
Colbert, who had been dogged by a campaign on Twitter to cancel his Comedy Central show after he made a supposedly racist joke about the Washington Redskins and then posted another reportedly racist tweet referencing his joke.
Colbert won an Emmy win for outstanding variety series last year and three Emmys for outstanding writing for a variety, music, or comedy show in 2008, 2010, and 2013.
Colbert spent eight years as a correspondent on Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show" before he got his own program.
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