Jimmy Fallon to Replace Jay Leno as Tonight Show Host in 2014

UNIVERSAL CITY: Jay Leno, who has been the host of The Tonight Show for 22 years, is leaving in spring 2014, with Jimmy Fallon, who currently has his own NBC late-night show, taking over.

As part of the transition, The Tonight Show will be relocating back to its home in 30 Rock in New York. Lorene Michaels (30 Rock, Saturday Night Live) will take over executive producing. Leno has hosted The Tonight Show with Jay Leno since taking over from TV icon Johnny Carson in 1992. Fallon got his own late-night show in 2009. Before this he was on Saturday Night Live. No plans have been announced yet for what happens with the 12:35 p.m. slate that Late Night with Jimmy Fallon has been running in.

Leno commented: "Congratulations Jimmy. 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."

Fallon added: "I’m really excited to host a show that starts today instead of tomorrow."

"Jay Leno is an entertainment icon, making millions of people laugh every weeknight for more than 20 years," said Steve Burke, the CEO of NBCUniversal. "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 number one, just as Jay replaced Johnny Carson when he was number one. 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.

"I also want to congratulate and thank Debbie Vickers and her Tonight Show team for producing an entertaining, first-class show every night for the past two decades. Debbie’s role in the creative and popular success of this franchise cannot be overstated."