CBS Reveals Surprise New Replacement for James Corden's 'Late Late Show'

CBS has found its Late Late Show replacement, and it's a little different than what was expected. The network is officially ditching the late-night talk show, at least for now, following James Corden's departure and the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. According to Deadline, the long-running syndicated comedy talk show Comics Unleashed With Byron Allen is joining the late-night lineup. The series will be going for just a limited run to account for the strikes beginning on Monday, Sept. 18 at 12:37 a.m. ET with two back-to-back episodes each night.

Also streaming on Paramount+, the round-table style comedy talk show originally ran from 2006 to 2007, with new episodes returning in 2014. Comics Unleashed was hosted by Allen and featured a rotating panel of comedians that included Sebastian Maniscalco, Tiffany Haddish, Gabriel Iglesias, Howie Mandel, Leslie Jones, Dane Cook, Iliza Shlesinger, Wayne Brady, and more. The series, which has been in first-run syndication since 2006, can be viewed in 14 markets on CBS-owned stations.  

"Comics Unleashed is a true passion for me, simply because this world can never have enough laughter," Byron Allen shared in a statement. "I created this show so that the best comedians can all come together and bring nonstop laughter." Comics Unleashed is produced by Allen's entertainment company, Allen Media Group. He serves as executive producer alongside Carolyn Folks and Jennifer Lucas.

Although some daytime talk shows have slowly started getting back in the saddle amid the strikes, late-night talk shows are still staying dark. Networks have been airing reruns in place of new episodes. With Comics Unleashed getting a limited run on CBS, it's possible similar changes could be made on other networks for different talk shows. It will be interesting to see how the series does. Considering it's been able to run in syndication for so long, it shouldn't be a problem.

Meanwhile, CBS announced premiere dates for its revamped fall 2023 schedule last month. While the schedule will consist of mostly unscripted or acquired content, fans will still be able to watch some classic Blue Bloods episodes as well as some other reruns of CBS favorites. There will also be the series premiere of the latest NCIS spinoff, NCIS: Sydney, premiering in November. With Comics Unleashed officially added to the lineup, the network will be pretty full. There will still be much to look forward to this fall, no matter how different it will be.