Colbert—who took over The Late Show in 2015 following David Letterman‘s departure—did indeed plant his flag, this time appearing as a guest host on Only in Monroe, a public access program in Monroe, Michigan, one day after his show ended.
As Colbert moves forward in his career, however, his late-night show will always hold a special place in his heart.
“This show has been a joy for us to do for you,” he said during the May 21 finale. “We call it ‘The Joy Machine,’ because to do this many shows, it has to be a machine. But the thing is, if you choose to do it with joy, it doesn’t hurt as much when your fingers get caught in the gears.”
“I cannot adequately explain to you,” he added, “what the people who work here have done for each other and how much we mean to each other.”
Read on to learn the fate of more of your favorite TV shows…