Stephen Colbert Gives Emotional Tribute After Losing Beloved Team Member

Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert is mourning the loss of an integral part of his work family.

The talk show host ended the Monday, April 1 episode of The Late Show with a solemn tribute to his longtime colleague Amy Cole, who passed away on Sunday, March 31. She was 53 years old.

Colbert, 59, asked the crowd to hold their applause on Monday night while he took a moment to collect his thoughts at the end of the show. He looked visible somber, holding back tears before telling the audience, "That's it for the Late Show. Goodnight."

Colbert then walked off-screen, while a black screen appeared with the words, "Dedicated to our dear friend Amy Cole, 1970-2024."

According to an obituary for Cole, the Late Show staffer passed away "peacefully" in New York on Sunday after battling a "brief illness."

"Working with Colbert for 16 years was more than a job to Amy," the obituary reads. "It gave her a purpose and provided an opportunity to showcase herself as an incredible teammate to everyone involved."

"She was adored by her entire Late Show work family and she will be greatly missed."

More team members from the set of Colbert's late-night show have also spoken out to memorialize Cole, including director and producer Jake Plunkett, who wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "Words cannot measure how big a loss Amy Cole is to this world."

He also seemingly revealed that Cole's death was related to cancer, as he wrote in the end of his post, "F—k cancer."

Writer and producer Opus Moreschi, also took to X to issue another heartbreaking statement.

"Amy Cole was a beacon of light and joy and calm in the swirling chaos of our workplace," Moreschi wrote. "I am absolutely gutted that she's gone."

Moreschi also asked followers to "consider giving to Amy's favorite charity," Radio Lollipop, an organization that raises funds to change the lives of sick children in the hospital.

"All donations received through this appeal will be shared equally between the Radio Lollipop Texas and New York chapters and will go directly to supporting the children that we work with as a gift in Amy’s name," the charity's website reads.

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