Late-night television has long beena boys' club, and with Taylor Tomlinson stepping down fromAfter Midnight,it just lost its only female host — again. Tomlinson’s departure from the show marks yet another moment where a woman in late-night television takes the stage, only to exit far too soon. For two seasons ofAfter Midnight,Tomlinson brought a fresh, millennial perspective to CBS' late-night lineup, making her one of the few women to host a late-night show on a major network.
However, now, just over a year after its debut,After Midnightis facing an uncertain future. Tomlinson announced that she would be stepping away from the comedy panel game show to focus on her stand-up career, seemingly spelling the end of the series.After Midnight’s slot was previously held by James Corden’sThe Late Late Show,with Tomlinson’s show being a reboot of@midnight,which ran from 2013 to 2017.Tomlinson’s departure not only leaves the show in limbo but also leaves the late-night landscape with a lack of female representation, reviving the all-too-familiar discussion about gender imbalance in late-night TV.
Taylor Tomlinson’s Departure From ‘After Midnight’ Is a Surprise Announcement
After Midnight
With women being few and far between in the late-night television show landscape, Taylor Tomlinson’s rise in the field felt like a breakthrough moment for many viewers. Widely known for her stand-up specials and sharp comedic timing, the tapping of Tomlinson to hostAfter Midnight,a reboot of the popular Comedy Central series@midnight,was a winning decision. The show, backed by Stephen Colbert, who held the role of executive producer, had all the right ingredients to bring an element of freshness to CBS' late-night slate.
Given this, the news that Tomlinson would be stepping away from the series after just two seasons comes as a surprise announcement, especially with it being previously reported thatAfter Midnightwould continue into a third season. However,the host’s departure from the show is not propelled by network pressure or declining ratings. Tomlinson explained that she wanted to refocus on stand-up comedy, which remains her primary passion. According toThe Hollywood Reporter, she said in a statement that:
“HostingAfter Midnighthas genuinely been the experience of a lifetime, and I’ll be forever grateful for the opportunity to be part of this incredible journey. Though it was an extremely tough decision, I knew I had to return to my first passion and return to stand-up touring full-time.”
Although Tomlinson’s reasoning makes sense, the loss of Tomlinson in late-night TV stings, especially for those who were just beginning to embrace the host’s late-night presence. With only a handful of women ever getting the opportunity to host on a major network, despite thevery first late-night host being a womanherself, Tomlinson’s exit highlights the challenges female hosts face.Short-lived tenures and little room for experimentation allude to the fact that late-night remains a tough space for women.
What’s Next for ‘After Midnight’?
With Tomlinson’s departure, the future ofAfter Midnightappears bleak. CBS has confirmed that it will not replace Tomlinson with another host and has also claimed that it will not replace the 12:30 AM slot with another piece of original programming. This effectively spells out the end ofAfter Midnight,with the curtains drawing on the series after the final episodes of its second season air in June 2025. Weighing in on Tomlinson’s decision, Colbert said:
“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.”
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CBS' decision leaves a noticeable void in the 12:30 AM time slot while also reflectingbroader trends in the television industry. An increasing number of viewers are gravitating towards streaming platforms and digital content, leaving traditional late-night television programs facing declining numbers. This could likely be a reason for CBS to opt out of replacingAfter Midnightwith another show. This shift also acts as an indicator for television networks to reevaluate the viability of late-night slots. Are they stillas popular as they used to be?
The Persistent Gender Gap in Late-Night Television
Although Tomlinson’s exit from late-night television is due to personal reasons,the host’s departure is part of a long-standing pattern where female hosts struggle to find long-term success in late-night TV. Historically,the late-night slotshave been overwhelmingly male. Joan Rivers was one of the first women to break into the arena in 1986 withThe Late Show,but her tenure was short-lived. The next major female-led late-night show arrived in 2007, with Chelsea Handler’sChelsea Latelyon the E! Network.
Most recently, Samantha Bee’sFull Frontaland Lilly Singh’sA Little Lateoffered hope that women-led late-night shows were finally gaining some traction. Yet, both shows were ultimately canceled, leaving late-night TV void of female representation once again. While Tomlinson’s recruitment was a rare win, her departure proves how fragile the progress made by women in the field is. However, it should be noted that female comedians are striving in other arenas, with those such as Ali Wong, Nikki Glasser, and Michelle Wolf having built strong careers through stand-up and streaming specials. The challenge appears to only be with late-night TV.
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The exit of Taylor Tomlinson and the previous wrap-ups of women-led late-night TV shows indicate that more needs to be done to support female hosts in the field. This means giving them the same opportunities to build an audience, experiment with formats, and have the freedom to grow into their roles similarly to their male counterparts. Doing this will likely ensure long-term representation instead of the short-lived attempts that are currently visible.The series finale ofAfter Midnightwill air in June 2025.After Midnightis also available to stream onParamount+.
