Jimmy Fallon is coming to primetime, at least for one night.
NBC has set a two-hour primetime special commemorating 10 years of The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon. The special is slated to air on NBC on Tuesday May 14, and will stream on Peacock the following day.
Fallon announced the news on the Tonight Show Monday evening.
“We are so grateful that we get to do this job. I want to thank everyone on our staff and crew and of course all of you for tuning in every single night for the past 10 years to celebrate, really, thank you so much,” Fallon told the audience. “To celebrate, NBC is going to enter a two-hour primetime best of Tonight Show special on May 14, the best moments of the Tonight Show from the past 10 years featuring some of our favorite sketches, guests and musical performances, from tight pants with Will Ferrell to me almost dating Nicole Kidman — I still can’t believe that happened — and musical bits like classroom instruments with Metallica and Adele, we had so many fun moments.”
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Fallon took over as host of the NBC late night show in February 2014, succeeding the likes of Steve Allen, Jack Paar, Conan O’Brien and, of course, Jay Leno and Johnny Carson.
“To be able to sit in the same chair as the iconic hosts before me, it’s been my absolute honor to be a part of The Tonight Show for the last 10 years,” Fallon said in a statement. “I still pinch myself every day and am so appreciative of the opportunity to stand alongside the giants of our business who have made their mark on this great television institution.”
While late night TV is not as impactful as it was during its heyday in the 1980s and 1990s, it remains a critical piece of the pie for broadcast networks, with the hosts becoming ambassadors of a sort for their companies, hosting awards shows, upfront presentations and other events.
In the case of NBC, The Tonight Show also falls under the umbrella of Lorne Michaels and his Broadway Video, joining Late Night with Seth Meyers and Saturday Night Live, both of which Fallon used to appear on.
“From Saturday Night Live to Late Night to The Tonight Show, Jimmy Fallon stands as one of the greatest performers across NBC’s rich history,” said Mark Lazarus, chairman of NBCUniversal Media Group. “Over the past 10 years, Jimmy has broadened The Tonight Show with his signature brand of humor and continues to deliver laughs to millions of people night after night. We couldn’t be prouder that this iconic NBC show bears Jimmy’s name.”
