Comedian Taylor Tomlinson has spoken out about her decision to return to stand-up as CBS announced that it was pulling the plug on her late-night comedy show, After Midnight, after two seasons.
The 31-year-old comic began hosting the series — which was a reboot of Comedy Central’s panel game show @midnight — in 2024.
After Midnight had been renewed for a third season last week. However, it’s officially been scrapped after Tomlinson made the surprise decision to return to stand-up full time.
“While we were excited and grateful for our third season to start in the fall, we respect Taylor’s decision to return to stand-up full time,” Stephen Colbert, an executive producer on the series, said Wednesday in a statement.
Tomlinson has since addressed her decision in a statement on her Instagram Story.
“Being the host of After Midnight for the past two seasons was the experience of a lifetime and I am so lucky I got the chance to be a part of this show. As a touring comic, I never thought I would be able to host a daily show like this and it’s because of the incredible @M team that it was possible for me to do so as long as I did,” she wrote.
“That said, juggling touring and hosting the show has become unsustainable, and I’ve made the difficult decision to step away so I can focus on stand up. After Midnight has pushed me to new limits, taught me countless lessons and skills, and allowed me to work with some of the greatest people I’ve ever met. I’m very sad but excited to finish out season 2 strong.”
Tomlinson concluded by thanking “every single person who has a part in this show, l am forever grateful.”
After Midnight will air its final episode in June. An exact date is not yet known.
The show stood as Tomlinson’s first late-night gig. She was tapped to helm the series in November 2023. During an appearance on Colbert’s Late Show at the time, she expressed her delight at finally having a “real job.”
“I’ve been doing stand-up since I was 16 — which is not a job — and so no job!” she quipped.
After Midnight, which debuted in January 2024, replaced The Late Late Show with James Corden. Without the traditional format of a late-night show, which typically features an opening monologue and a live band, CBS saw Tomlinson’s smaller-budget comedy game show as a cost-saving measure.
The network has said that it will not fill the now-vacant 12:37 a.m. hour time slot with original programming.
Rosie O’Donnell says Trump’s winning every swing state should be ‘investigated’
Jason Isaacs backtracks comments about ‘double standard’ for male nudity on-screen
Duke University not happy being featured in The White Lotus: ‘Goes too far’
‘Full of himself’ Hollywood A-list guest called out by The One Show host
Strictly Come Dancing receives rare Bafta TV awards snub after infamous scandal
