Family members of Stephen Colbert’s crew claimed they were kicked out of the final show's taping in tears.
The Late Show host took his final bow on Thursday night as he wrapped up more than a decade at the helm of the popular CBS show.
As well as the almost seven million viewers who tuned in to watch him, Colbert was joined by his loyal crew.
However now the wife of a veteran crew member claimed what should have been a fond farewell ended in upset after she and her 12-year-old son were allegedly escorted out.
Samantha Knox claimed that family members of the crew were told to 'get out' mid-show, allegedly being informed: 'You’re not allowed here.'
She claimed that even her 12-year-old child was escorted out and was left 'shaking and in tears' following the encounter.
'Let’s be clear - this wasn’t Stephen. Had he known, I know he’d be furious,' Knox said.
'Crew members were the backbone of that show, working endless hours to make sure the show you watched was perfect.
In a single pointed statement, she declared: 'F*** YOU CBS.'
Knox, founder of nonprofit Itty Bitty City Kitties said her husband Hillary Knox had worked on both The Colbert Report and The Late Show for the past 17 years.
Samantha Knox, the wife of a 17-year veteran crew member Hillary Knox, shared a post claiming that family members of the crew were told to 'get out' of Stephen Colbert's final taping
Stephen Colbert said farewell to viewers Thursday and CBS wasted no time in airing adverts for his replacement
Knox shared a screenshot of a text exchange she said was with a friend while she was 'panic raging' after the show
In a post on Instagram, Knox shared a screenshot of a text exchange with a friend while she was 'panic raging' after the show, writing: 'Security came and tried to throw my kid out. They’re literally throwing out family members.
'I'm floored. I can't believe this is happening. Sawyer was shaking. In tears. A 12 year old. WHO DOES THAT.
'To have security come find us, kick us out and make clear, "you’re not allowed here,"' she added. 'We didn’t take up seats or space. We hid in corners, behind desks, and against walls, to be there for our people.'
Knox said her husband immediately objected and went to producers, telling them that if the families were not allowed to stay, neither he nor the people working with him would stay either.
'If they left, there would be no show,' Knox wrote in an Instagram post.
'Eventually they caved, and we were allowed to come back and stay, only to find out today, anyone who revolted, was terminated immediately after the show - no load out, no strike. Done.'
Hillary claimed that he and a colleague received emails at 4pm on Saturday from Paramount corporate HR informing them that it was their last day and that they were also 'disinvited' from the load-out process taking place over the next two weeks.
'Presumably because I dared to stand up for my family visiting and watching the last show,' he wrote.
Knox claimed that even her 12-year-old child was escorted out and was left 'shaking and in tears' following the encounter
Byron Allen will occupy Colbert's 11.30pm spot and has vowed to steer clear of politics and topical issues in the show’s format
'To be crystal clear, we have been very well taken care of over the years thanks to Stephen Colbert in the face of COVID, strikes and god knows whatever else. Nobody is ever going to forget that,' he wrote.
'None of us deserve to be subjugated by these corporate PR hacks, and I’m not saying that everyone was,' he added.
'But we’re the ones on the front f***ing lines, with our boots on the ground. And that should never be overlooked or forgotten.'
Knox continued to defend her husband and his coworkers, emphasizing that they are the ones who do the work behind the scenes that viewers never see, and stressing that the decision to remove families from the set was not made by Colbert himself.
'Family, both blood and show, are his number one. I hope this post finds him and he finds out what was done,' Knox wrote.
It was revealed that Colbert's show was being axed last year, not long after he publicly blasted new CBS owners Paramount for coming to a $16 million settlement with Donald Trump over a controversial 60 Minutes interview.
Colbert branded the pay out a 'big fat bribe,' and noted that it was made while CBS owner Paramount was trying to merge with Skydance in a deal which required sign off from the Trump administration.
Network bosses insisted that the decision to axe Colbert was purely economic.
Byron Allen will occupy Colbert's 11.30pm spot and has vowed to steer clear of politics and topical issues in the show’s format.
The Daily Mail has reached out to CBS and Paramount for comment.