David Letterman Will Return to TV with a Netflix Talk Show

David Letterman couldn't stay fully retired. He's too curious for that.

A little more than two years after he said goodbye to The Late Show, David Letterman is returning to TV with an as-yet-untitled Netflix show. The first season of the hourlong six-episode series will feature in-depth conversations with a single guest and field segments where Letterman explores topics he's interested in.

"I feel excited and lucky to be working on this project for Netflix," Letterman said in a statement. "Here's what I have learned, if you retire to spend more time with your family, check with your family first. Thanks for watching, drive safely."

"Just meeting David Letterman was a thrill; imagine how exciting it is for me to announce that we will be working together," Netflix's Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos said. "David Letterman is a true television icon, and I can't wait to see him out in the wild, out from behind the desk and interviewing the people he finds most interesting. We'll have to see if he keeps the beard."

In 33 years on late-night television, David Letterman hosted 6,028 episodes of Late Night on NBC and The Late Show on CBS, making him the longest-running late-night broadcaster in American history. He's earned 52 Emmy nominations over his career, with 10 wins. He's a two-time Peabody Award winner, a Kennedy Center Honoree, and will receive the Mark Twain Prize in October.

The show will premiere in 2018.