'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' will return with full, vaccinated audience

CBS' 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' will return to The Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway on June 14, breaking free of the coronavirus-imposed restrictions.

As per Variety, Colbert will return to doing the show in front of live audiences starting from June 14. All guests of the show will need to require proof that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and face masks will be optional for those in the crowd.

All staff and crew members will continue to be tested prior to commencing work on a regular basis, as well as screened daily for symptoms. In addition, a COVID-19 compliance officer will be on staff to monitor and enforce all health and safety protocols.

Due to the pandemic, Colbert has led 205 episodes of the late-night program without an in-studio crowd, usually from his home or, recently, from a room at the Ed Sullivan Theater, which has housed the program for years.

Since March 16 of last year, the host has been the anchor of what he has called 'A Late Show', a more intimate presentation of his monologues and interviews.

"Over the last 437 days, my staff and crew (and family!) have amazed me with their professionalism and creativity as we made shows for an audience we couldn't see or hear," said Colbert, in a statement.

He added, "I look forward to once again doing shows for an audience I can smell and touch."

'The Late Show' will be the latest in a parade of weekday standbys charting a return to the pre-pandemic presentation. On Saturday, NBC's 'Saturday Night Live' for the first time this season held its broadcast in front of a full, live crowd in its traditional home, Studio 8H at the network's Rockefeller Plaza headquarters.

Previously, NBC brought in smaller groups of people -- often first responders -to watch the show in socially distanced fashion. Other programs have been navigating a return as well. On HBO, Bill Maher's 'Real Time' has used smaller in-studio crowds.

Colbert's focus on the headlines of the day has made his program in recent years the most-watched among TV's late-night set. In recent weeks, however, NBC's 'Tonight Starring Jimmy Fallon' has made gains among the audiences most coveted by advertisers, viewers between 18 and 49.

( With inputs from ANI )

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