Yesterday (June 13), Eli Janney — a member of the soon-to-be-laid-off Late Night with Seth Meyers house band who also serves as the show's associate music director — bemoaned late-night TV budget cuts, which may or may not be implicated in the news that Jimmy Fallon has signed a deal to continue his tenure as host of The Tonight Show through 2028.
As Deadline reports, Fallon's current contract with NBC, which he signed in 2021, is widely thought to run until 2026, which could have already given him another two years at the show's helm. While celebrating his 10th anniversary as host a couple months ago, he told the publication that he wanted to break Johnny Carson's Tonight Show record of 30 years.
"For nearly 30 years, Jimmy Fallon has brought laughter into the homes of millions and charmed audiences from the stages of 30 Rock," Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBCUniversal Media Group, said in a statement. "It's been a privilege to witness Jimmy at the helm of The Tonight Show and we're thrilled to see what innovations he and the incredible staff will deliver in the years to come at the network."
Fallon added, "For nearly 30 years, I've brought laughter into the homes of millions and charmed audiences from the stages of 30 Rock. It's been a privilege to be at the helm of The Tonight Show and I'm thrilled to see what innovations me and the incredible staff will deliver in the years to come at the network. No, I'm not changing my quote. Tell Mark to change his."
Fallon's business with the network extends beyond his late-night duties, hosting the musical game show That's My Jam (which has been delayed to 2025) and executive-producing Password, where he's also a panellist. Apparently those toxic workplace allegations — which stand-up guy Jerry Seinfeld called "an idiotic twisting of events" — are dust in the wind!
While Meyers also recently renewed his hosting contract until 2028, Fallon's fellow Jimmy, Kimmel, last extended his deal in 2022 for three more years, meaning he'll host Jimmy Kimmel Live! through 2025; beyond that, the future is uncertain.
