( Courtesy: CNN ) Late night television legend David Letterman will retire in 2015.
Letterman announced his plan during a taping of “The Late Show” on Thursday afternoon. CBS is expected to issue a statement sometime before the program is broadcast Thursday night.
A CBS spokesman declined to comment. Letterman’s announcement initially leaked out when a performer, Mike Mills, who was at the taping of “The Late Show” tweeted out the news. “Dave just announced his retirement,” Mills wrote.
What exactly Letterman says about his decision on “The Late Show” is not yet known.
The announcement comes just weeks after Letterman’s longtime rival, Jay Leno, retired from the NBC “Tonight Show.” Leno was replaced by Jimmy Fallon.
Last fall, Letterman extended his contract through 2015; news reports at the time said he gave no indication that it would be his last contract.
Letterman has hosted “The Late Show” since 1993