“Given Paramount’s recent capitulation to President Trump in the CBS News lawsuit, the Writers Guild of America has significant concerns that The Late Show’s cancelation is a bribe, sacrificing free speech to curry favor with the Trump Administration as the company looks for merger approval,” it noted (see full statement below).

Liberal celebrities and politicians mourned the cancellation of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" as CBS claims the decision is purely financial and unrelated to the show's content.

"Next year will be our last season,” the late-night talk show host announced Thursday, July 17. "The network will be ending 'The Late Show’ next May."

Colbert’s cancellation came days after he mocked Paramount, which owns CBS, for its $16 million settlement with Trump in a lawsuit many considered meritless. That settlement comes as Paramount attempts a merger with Skydance Media, which requires FCC approval to proceed.

CBS Mornings' hosts reacted with sadness and surprise to the cancellation of 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' that was announced Thursday.