CBS host David Letterman to retire in 2015

CBS late night host David Letterman announced that he's retiring in 2015. He shared the news with his audience during a taping that's scheduled to air Thursday night. The Late Show with David Letterman, home of Top Ten Lists and Stupid Pet Tricks, has been on CBS since 1992. Before that, Letterman hosted Late Night on NBC.

CBS is expected to release a statement before tonight's program. The show's bassist, Mike Mills, broke the news on Twitter. --Jordan Valinsky

UPDATE: Here's how Letterman broke the news to his audience: "The man who owns this network, Leslie Moonves, he and I have had a relationship for years and years and years... and I phoned him just before the program, and I said 'Leslie, it's been great, you've been great, and the network has been great, but I'm retiring.'"

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"What this means now is that Paul and I can be married," he added, referring to his longtime bandleader.

And here's the statement from Moonves: "When Dave decided on a one-year extension for his most recent contract, we knew this day was getting closer, but that doesn't make the moment any less poignant for us... There is only one David Letterman. His greatness will always be remembered here, and he will certainly sit among the pantheon of this business."