David Letterman Admits He ‘Misses’ Hosting ‘The Late Show’ During His Big Return to the Show 8 Years Later

David Letterman made his return to The Late Show after signing off for the final time in 2015. The former host was the guest on the new version of the show hosted by Stephen Colbert on Monday, November 20. David, 76, said that it was a “delight” to have returned. When Stephen asked David what he missed most since he left the show, the comedian responded that there was so much that he looked back on fondly. “I miss everything. Mostly, it’s fun,” he said in the interview.

David was the host of The Late Show from 1993 until 2015. Stephen noted that he hosted over 4,000 episodes of the late-night talk show during his run, earning him the nickname “The Iron Man of Late-Night.” David joked that “they were all damn good.” The former host also spoke about how great it was to have the opportunity to go in with a fresh start the next day. “If you muck one up, 24 hours later, you get to try again, and that’s a pretty good device,” he said. “When you do something that  you’re really proud of, you think, ‘By God, let’s do that again!’ And then, six-seven years later, you have that experience once more.”

The studio audience was clearly happy to see him, and they started chanting “David” as he walked out. A natural comedian, David joked with Stephen to “control your people.” He then quipped, “This is the most enthusiastic audience that I have been near since the night I announced I was quitting.”

The former host also talked about how things had changed since he left the show. He complimented how nice the studio and dressing rooms were. He also congratulated Stephen on his show being a hit. “It’s not easy, but you make it look very easy,” he told him.

David also sent his wife Regina Lasko a birthday message and said that he didn’t have anything else to add to announce. The two hosts also shared their own experiences with hosting, trading secrets about places in the studio to hide, David’s favorite musical memories, and more. They ended by swapping spots and snapping a selfie with David behind the desk.