Which late-night hosts are currently gaining popularity?

1. Why Colbert’s Surge Looks Real — and Why It’s Complicated

Stephen Colbert’s Late Show posted a substantial quarter-over-quarter uptick in Q3 2025, with a 17% increase to about 2.84 million total viewers, and a pronounced gain in the 18–49 demo that industry summaries attribute to heightened interest after the cancellation announcement ^[1]. That spike is grounded in linear Nielsen-type numbers and reflects both curiosity and renewed viewer loyalty, but it comes against the backdrop of seasonal viewing shifts as Q3 often benefits from prime-time slowdowns and special-event programming gaps that can inflate late-night lifts. The cancellation news creates a short-term attention premium that boosts raw figures; whether those gains represent durable popularity beyond the limited-run curiosity effect is unclear from the quarter’s data alone ^[1].

2. Gutfeld’s Year-over-Year Momentum vs. Quarterly Fluctuations

Greg Gutfeld’s program shows large year-on-year gains—reported at roughly +31.5% in total viewers and +24% in key demos—and dominance in its earlier time slot, suggesting a steady audience build among cable viewers ^[2]. Those annual gains are powerful signals of sustained growth, but the same analyses note a decline versus Q1 2025, indicating quarterly volatility that complicates claims of continuous ascent. Gutfeld’s strength on cable and in total viewers contrasts with the broadcast late-night hierarchy and highlights how time slot, platform (cable vs. network), and measurement windows materially change which hosts “look” like they’re gaining popularity.

3. Demo Wins and Digital Footprints: Kimmel, Fallon, Stewart and The Daily Show

Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon show modest gains in linear metrics, with Kimmel edging Colbert in some 18–49 demo snapshots and Fallon remaining a dominant force digitally with massive social followings ^{[2] [4]}. The Daily Show reports a particularly strong quarter with a notable demo rating and surging social views—the highest-rated quarter in four years and dramatic demo/share increases, driven in part by Jon Stewart’s presence on episodes ^[3]. These divergent signals show how demo performance and digital virality can elevate perceived popularity even when total linear viewers are flat, making cross-platform measurement essential to understand contemporary late-night trajectories ^{[2] [3] [4]}.

4. Seasonal Context, Cancellations, and Political Heat as Popularity Drivers

Several accounts link viewership swings to external events: Colbert’s cancellation news, Kimmel’s viral challenges and topical monologues, and Stewart’s guest appearances all generate temporary spikes tied to news cycles and controversy ^{[1] [5] [6]}. Analysts caution that Q3 viewing often reflects seasonal programming gaps and that corporate decisions—like network cancellations or renewals—can distort public perception of popularity by concentrating promotional attention. These dynamics create a pattern where short-term visibility and political resonance can translate into measurable gains without necessarily indicating long-term audience growth.

5. Bottom Line: Who’s Gaining — and What Evidence Matters Next

Based on the presented analyses, the clearest short-term gainers are Stephen Colbert (Q3 surge) and Greg Gutfeld (robust year-over-year growth), with Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel showing steady or modest increases and The Daily Show demonstrating notable demo and social lift tied to its recent quarter ^{[1] [2] [3]}. Determining durable popularity requires watching multiple metrics over successive quarters—total viewers, 18–49 demo trends, platform-specific engagement, and year-over-year comparisons—because each metric privileges different shows. Readers should treat recent spikes tied to cancellations or viral moments as important but potentially transient signals until they persist across measurement windows.