NBC finally put an end to media speculation when the network and Jay Leno announced April 3 that Jimmy Fallon would replace Jay Leno as the host of “The Tonight Show” next spring.
Leno has hosted “Tonight” for 22 years with only a short interruption in 2010. There was great fanfare at the time when Conan O’Brien moved from the late-late time slot to take over for Jay, who moved to a 10pm primetime show.
The plan was years in the making but Leno stumbled in the earlier time slot and it wasn’t long before he wanted to move back to “Tonight” leaving O’Brien in the lurch. O’Brien has since found great success hosting his own show over on TBS.
That was not the first late night controversy for Leno, however. As retold by The Wrap, 20 years ago David Letterman and Leno fought over who would be the replacement for a retiring Johnny Carson. As a result, Letterman left NBC for CBS.
In a show of good will, Leno recently joined Fallon in a viral video showing that they were not fighting, sung “West Side Story” style, with a melancholy Jay suggesting a move to FOX. In a statement released April 3, Leno congratulated Fallon and said, “I hope you’re as lucky as me and hold on to the job until you’re the old guy. If you need me, I’ll be at the garage.”
In response, Fallon said he was “really excited to host a show that starts today instead of tomorrow.”
“Saturday Night Live” producer Lorne Michaels will produce Fallon’s “The Tonight Show,” which will move out of Los Angeles to it’s original homebase in New York City. NBC plans to fill the soon-to-be vacated time slot Fallon currently holds but have yet to name his replacement.
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