Confirmed: Jimmy Fallon to Take Over The Tonight Show in 2014
Matt Richenthal
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The worst kept secret in Hollywood is now official: Jimmy Fallon will take over as host of The Tonight Show in 2014.
Rumors of this move have been circulating for weeks, with Jay Leno slamming NBC in multiple monologues over the last two days and even collaborating with Fallon on a duet Monday night that mocked the chatter.
But with Leno's contract set to expire in the spring of 2014, and with Jimmy Kimmel providing new competition for younger viewers at 11:35 p.m., NBC has gone ahead and made the switch.
Said Steve Burke, Chief Executive Officer of NBCUniversal:
“Jay Leno is an entertainment icon, making millions of people laugh every weeknight for more than 20 years. His long reign as the highest-rated late-night host is a testament to his work ethic and dedication to his viewers and to NBC. We are purposefully making this change when Jay is #1, just as Jay replaced Johnny Carson when he was #1. Jimmy Fallon is a unique talent and this is his time. I’m thrilled he will become the sixth host of ‘The Tonight Show’ at exactly the right moment, in conjunction with our coverage of next year’s Winter Olympic Games from Sochi, Russia."
It's unclear at the moment who will take over for Fallon an hour later, but Seth Meyers is allegedly the top contender.
Are you excited for Fallon to host The Tonight Show?
Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.
