Jay Leno will host his second last episode of The Tonight Show on February 6. After that Jimmy Fallon will take the reigns as host of the iconic late-night talk show and will be replaced on The Late Show by former SNL Weekend Update host Seth Meyers.
Deadline reports the Tonight Show EP Debbie Vickers made the announcement today to staffers at the show and informed them that, per Leno's contract with NBC, they would be paid until his contract expires in September.
NBC's Upfront presentation to advertisers in May saw the announcement that the funnyman would be ending his 22-year run on the Tonight Show during the week leading up to the 2014 Olympics, which begin February 7, the day after Leno's last show. During that week, the network also announced Jimmy Fallon would replace him on February 24, the night after the closing ceremony followed by the debut of Late Night With Seth Meyers at 12:30. Unlike the Tonight Show under Leno or even Conan O'Brien, Fallon's show will be broadcast from New York City.
For those who are upset to see Leno's time as host end, they need not fear as the comedian is currently in talks with NBC executives to determine what role he will have with NBC after his time as host of the tonight show ends, but he will have some role.
This is not the first time Jay Leno has given the reigns of the popular late-night talk show over to another. In 2009 there was a highly publicized scandal in which Leno claimed he wanted to retire only to change his mind. By that time NBC had plans in motion to promote Conan O'Brien to host. Leno was given a show at an earlier time slot only to later take the Tonight Show back after NBC gave Conan the boot. Since then, Conan has since found a home on TBS.
