Late night TV will never be the same.
Just weeks after David Letterman announced his plans to step down from the late-night television throne, Craig Ferguson, host of "The Late Late Show" since 2005, is doing the same. ABC News reported that Ferguson told his studio audience during Monday's taping that he will be leaving the show at the end of the year, after almost 10 years of hosting.
"At the end of this year, I will be stepping down as the host of the show," he told his audience. "Then I'll go and do something else, probably I'm thinking carpentry. But I haven't made my mind up yet. I don't know what I'm going to do yet but I feel doing this show for 10 years, that's enough."
Ferguson later added in a statement: "CBS and I are not getting divorced, we are 'consciously uncoupling,' but we will still spend holidays together and share custody of the fake horse and robot skeleton, both of whom we love very much."
Ferguson's show airs after Letterman's, at 12:35am on weekdays. Once considered a strong contender, Ferguson's show has suffered from a ratings slip.
"During his 10 years as host, Craig has elevated CBS to new creative and competitive heights at 12:30," Nina Tassler, CBS president, said in a statement, according to Deadline. "He infused the broadcast with tremendous energy, unique comedy, insightful interviews and some of the most heartfelt monologues seen on television. Craig's versatile talents as a writer, producer, actor and comedian speak to his great days ahead. While we'll miss Craig and can't thank him enough for his contributions to both the show and the network, we respect his decision to move on, and we look forward to celebrating his final broadcasts during the next eight months."
This is the second late-night retirement for CBS, following Letterman's announcement to leave "Late Show" after his contract ends in 2015. Letterman will be succeeded by Stephen Colbert, host of Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report".
Ferguson, whose show won a Peabody Award in 2009, was considered a strong contender for Letterman's job on the "Late Show". The Scottish-born actor-comedian reportedly already has other projects in the works, including a new game show, "Celebrity Name Game," according to E! News.
