HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Jay Leno will say goodnight to his NBC "Tonight Show" audience for the last time on May 29, 2009, the network announced Monday.
Leno's successor will be the previously announced Conan O'Brien, who will shift over to the "Tonight Show" desk on Monday, June 1.
While Leno's departure has long been planned, NBC did hint that he could resurface on the network in another capacity.
"We're still talking to Jay about staying within NBC Universal," Marc Graboff, a co-chairman of NBC Entertainment, told Reuters. "We've made our decision, we're happy with it and were very confident 'The Tonight Show' will continue to be dominant."
Most speculate that Leno will end up elsewhere, with ABC perhaps being his biggest suitor.
Taking today's announcement lightly, Leno opened by posing as a reporter, asking Graboff and fellow co-chairman Ben Silverman several questions.
"Will Leno be paid for the rest of the year?" he inquired, before later posing the question, "Is it true you offered Leno a fifth hour on the 'Today' show?"
Leno succeeded the late Johnny Carson in 1992 and has continually topped the late-night ratings.
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