WATCH: Craig Ferguson announces 'Late Late Show' departure, opening CBS late night hosting gig for new talent [VIDEO]

Craig Ferguson is officially stepping down as host of CBS's Late Late Show, thus confirming rumors of his departure and possible replacements in the wake of David Letterman's retirement from The Late Show.

"CBS and I are not getting divorced, we are 'consciously uncoupling,' but we will still spend holidays together and share custody of the fake horse and robot skeleton, both of whom we love very much," Ferguson said in the announcement.

Watch part of Ferguson's announcement right here:

It would appear that Letterman's retirement announcement was the cause for Ferguson's departure, but that is not the case. According to Variety, Ferguson wanted to leave the show for a while now, with CBS holding onto him just a little longer than expected. He agreed to stay on a bit longer so his staff could secure new jobs.

"It wasn't contentious. I was just like, 'I feel like I'm done. We were all fine and were tying up loose ends," he explained. "And then Dave surprised everybody with the announcement and that threw a spanner in the works. And I had to sit and keep my mouth shut while speculation raged wildly."

"I had no desire - none - to do that job," Ferguson said of Letterman's gig. "I could barely keep it together at 12:30, never mind 11:30. Nobody wants to hear it. It's so bizarre. People want it to be Jay and Dave or Jay and Conan or some kind of big story. That's not me, that's not what I want. I think what happens is that certain people want you to want it, and they want you to not get it. If that makes 'em happy, well ... It really wasn't what I aspired to. Doing this job wasn't something I aspired to, either. I kind of fell into this."