As NBC Makes A Major Cut For Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show, Here’s How Long The Host Is Sticking Around

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As NBC Makes A Major Cut For Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show, Here's How Long The Host Is Sticking Around

As a longtime fan of Jimmy Fallon, I must admit that I was taken aback by NBC’s decision to cut one episode per week from The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Having grown up watching Fallon on Saturday Night Live and then witnessing his meteoric rise to the coveted position as the host of The Tonight Show, I’ve become accustomed to five fresh episodes each week. However, upon reflection, I realize that this move is not entirely unexpected given the current trends in late-night television.

As NBC prepares to reintroduce its most prominent prime-time series in the 2024 television lineup, a significant change has been announced concerning the future of its leading late-night talk show, “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” Specifically, one episode will be reduced from the weekly schedule, mirroring the adjustment previously made for Seth Meyers’ “Late Night” program. However, this doesn’t signal Fallon’s departure from the show.

NBC’s Major Cut For The Tonight Show

Originally, “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” aired five fresh episodes weekly, taking the weekends off. However, according to Variety, NBC has decided to reduce this number to four new episodes per week. The show will still air at 11:35 p.m. ET on Monday through Thursday on the network. This change isn’t too surprising since NBC already broadcasts “Late Night with Seth Meyers” four nights a week and recently reduced “Late Night’s” budget to eliminate the house band.

Other networks have also followed suit by reducing their late-night shows’ airing frequency. Specifically, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS and Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC are now only broadcast four days a week. Kimmel has recently hinted at retirement, a topic he previously discussed in relation to the future of late-night television.

Late-night cable shows, including “The Daily Show” and “The Tonight Show,” have also felt the impact; for instance, “The Daily Show” doesn’t air new episodes on Fridays, a practice that has been ongoing for Comedy Central’s long-standing program. Similarly, in the Fallon time slot on NBC, reruns of “The Tonight Show” will be aired on Fridays instead.

What The Future Holds For Jimmy Fallon

Moving forward, Jimmy Fallon’s weekly appearances on The Tonight Show might decrease, but rest assured, he won’t be departing from his hosting role anytime soon. In fact, back in June, Fallon extended his contract with NBCUniversal to continue as the host until 2028. This means that unlike when Saturday Night Live turns 50 in the same year, Fallon won’t be leaving the network’s late-night lineup at age 50. Seth Meyers has also renewed his deal for Late Night, so it seems NBC is content with their current formula, even if there will be less of it each week.

Apart from his duties at NBC, Fallon additionally takes on separate roles. He serves as an executive producer and is a regular guest on the game show called “Password,” while also hosting another program titled “That’s My Jam.” Given his Thursday double-taping schedule for “The Tonight Show,” it might not be much of a change for him if they decide to skip Friday broadcasts.

Currently, it’s uncertain exactly when the switch to only reruns on Fridays will occur, but it seems probable that this change will start during the fall season, following the airing of repeats every day throughout the week to wrap up the summer broadcasts. Notably, Jimmy Fallon marked his ten-year milestone as host of The Tonight Show in May with a special two-hour primetime event.

Currently, you can catch Fallon on repeat broadcasts of “The Tonight Show” every weeknight from 11:35 p.m. ET on NBC. Additionally, you have the option to rewatch previous episodes by subscribing to Peacock Premium.

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2024-09-07 00:07