Stephen Colbert is taking a break from his late-night show due to health concerns.
The host of “The Late Show” shared a statement on the show’s Instagram account on Monday announcing the news.
“I’m sorry to say that I have to cancel our shows this week,” the statement read. “I’m sure you’re thinking, ‘Turkey overdose, Steve? Gravy boat capsizes?’ I’m actually recovering from surgery for a ruptured appendix.
Colbert, 59, also thanked his doctors “for their care” and his wife Evelyn “Evie” McGee-Colbert and his children “for putting up with me.”
He concluded the note with his trademark wit, adding, “Going forward, all emails to my appendix will be handled by my pancreas.”
Fans and followers flocked to the comments section of the post to send messages of support to the comedian, who has hosted “The Late Show” on CBS since 2015.
According to StatPearls, an online library published by the National Library of Medicine, appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix, a small pouch attached to the large intestine in the lower right abdomen.
According to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, appendicitis is considered a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment because an inflamed appendix can rupture within the first 36 hours of symptoms appearing.
A rupture can lead to complications such as peritonitis, a serious infection that can spread to the abdomen, or an abscess, which is a collection of pus, according to StatPearls.
Appendicitis can have more than one cause. Possible causes include hardened stools that can block the opening of the appendix, enlarged tissue in the appendix wall, or inflammatory bowel disease, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Symptoms of appendicitis may include fever, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, vomiting, constipation and diarrhea.
This isn’t the first health issue that has caused Colbert to take a break from his show. In October, he announced he would miss a week to recover from COVID-19.