Life After The Tonight Show for Jay Leno

• Jul 16, 2007 09:32 PM ET
• by TV Guide News

Despite rumblings in the trade press, NBC's new entertainment bosses said the plans to have Conan O'Brien take over The Tonight Show from Jay Leno in 2009 are on track. Ben Silverman and Marc Graboff told reporters at the Television Critics Association press tour that they are talking to Leno about a future role at the network.

"We love Jay Leno," Silverman said. "We want him to stay at NBC for life." A prime-time show is a possibility, and there's a precedent for it. Jack Paar had a prime-time hour after his five-year stint on Tonight ended [voluntarily]. It's hard to say if that would fly with the workaholic Leno - especially since many in the industry believe Fox or even ABC could try to lure him with a late-night deal. - Reporting by Stephen Battaglio