Late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel has blasted television network CBS for cancelling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, as the US president took to social media to revel in the news and warn, "Kimmel is next".
Stephen Colbert announced on Thursday that his late-night show has not been extended beyond the upcoming broadcast season, meaning it will end in May next year.
CBS executives released a statement calling the move a "purely financial decision", labelling Colbert "irreplaceable".
"[The decision is made] against a challenging backdrop in late night," the statement read.
Fellow late-night hosts have reacted with shock and anger, with Kimmel writing on social media: "love you Stephen. F*** you and all your Sheldons CBS".
Jimmy Fallon, host of The Tonight Show, wrote on social media that he was "just as shocked as everyone".
"Stephen is one of the sharpest, funniest hosts to ever do it. I really thought I'd ride this out with him for years to come," he wrote.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump seemed to delight in the announcement, writing on his own social media platform Truth Social, "I absolutely love that Colbert got fired".
"His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert!"
Mr Trump added: "Greg Gutfeld is better than all of them combined, including the Moron on NBC who ruined the once great Tonight Show."
Rumours swirl over cancellation
US media is reporting that CBS's parent company, Paramount, is seeking approval from the US Federal Communications Commission for a merger with Skydance Media, in a deal worth $US8.4 billion ($12.9 billion).
Paramount also agreed this month to settle a lawsuit filed by Mr Trump over an interview with his Democratic challenger in the 2024 presidential race — former vice-president Kamala Harris — that CBS's 60 Minutes program broadcast in October.
Critics, including Colbert — who often condemns the president's actions on his show — say the company settled primarily to clear a hurdle to the Skydance sale.
In a scathing monologue delivered on Monday, local time, Colbert said he was "offended" by the settlement and joked that the technical name in legal circles for the deal was a "big fat bribe".
In its statement, CBS executive said the cancellation of Colbert's show "is not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount."
To the boos of the audience at the news of the announcement, Colbert said, "Yeah, I share your feelings".
"It's not just the end of our show, but it's the end of The Late Show on CBS. I'm not being replaced. This is all just going away."
Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, a longtime critic of the US president, joined those calling for more transparency around the show's cancellation.
"CBS cancelled Colbert's show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump — a deal that looks like bribery," Senator Warren wrote on social media.
"America deserves to know if his show was cancelled for political reasons."
Entertainers rally around Colbert
Eleven-time Emmy award winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus defended the late-night host, writing, "I stand with my friend Stephen Colbert".
She then directed a David Graham quote at CBS, Paramount, and chairwoman Shari Redstone.
"Institutions that are willing to sacrifice their values for the government's favour are likely to end up with neither," she wrote.
A slew of stars commented on an Instagram post shared by The Late Show and Colbert's personal account.
"Love you Stephen. This is absolute bulls***," Severance star Adam Scott wrote.
"And I for one am looking forward to the next 10 months of shows."
Seth Meyers, the host of Late Night, also weighed in on Instagram.
"For as great a comedian and host he is, Stephen Colbert is an even better person," he wrote.
"I'm going to miss having him on TV every night, but I'm excited he can no longer use the excuse that he's 'too busy to hang out' with me."
Colbert took over as host of The Late Show in September 2015, succeeding veteran broadcaster David Letterman, who launched the program in 1993 after Jay Leno was named host of NBC's flagship Tonight Show.
