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CLAIM: NBC Gives Conan O’Brien Ultimatum (UPDATE)

12:35 am, January 8th, 2010

BREAKING!

(GettyImages.com)

UPDATE – 12:35AM  1/8/10

After a day of incredible developments for NBC and the late night landscape, TMZ now reports that the network has given Conan O’Brien a choice – to move his “Tonight Show” back to 12:05AM nightly, giving Jay Leno the half-hour starting at 11:35PM… or to leave NBC.

The site claims that Leno will be given a full hour if O’Brien decides to walk.

Whether such an offer is on the table has not yet been confirmed.

Gossip Cop will monitor all rumors closely…

UPDATE – 9:35PM -

As Gossip Cop reported earlier, Leno DID address shakeup rumors in his monologue during today’s taping of “The Jay Leno Show.” Video is below.

UPDATE – 7:55PM -

NBC has released the following statement:

“We have the best comedy team in the business. We remain committed to keeping Conan O’Brien on NBC. He is a valued part of our late-night line-up, as he has been for more than 16 years and is one of the most respected entertainers on television.”

*****     *****     ******     *****

Rumors have gained steam all day that NBC plans to make MAJOR changes to “The Jay Leno Show,” its late night lineup, or both.

Speculation that the network sought to overhaul or cancel Jay Leno‘s prime time experiment took a turn late in the afternoon when TMZ reported a bombshell: NBC was set to return Leno to “The Tonight Show,” the 11:30PM institution he vacated to make way for Conan O’Brien.

Gossip Cop has been on the phone with sources at both programs, sources at the network, and friends of both hosts. What’s been repeated is that NBC is looking to make a change at the 10:00pm slot, but that the timetable hasn’t been set.

Here’s what we’ve learned: Leno is set to address the swirling rumors during today’s taping of “The Jay Leno Show,“ sources at NBC tell Gossip Cop.

Gossip Cop will have updates as soon as they’re available. Stay tuned…

Follow @GossipCop on Twitter for updates.

Visit GossipCop.com for today’s best accurate celebrity reporting.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Shane-Murray/1277139962 Shane Murray

    I’m sorry but…if this is true…Conan is getting the shaft!

  • Cleo

    Leno sux. To do that to a fellow comic, I mean, Conan hasn’t even had the slot for a full year. This is just terrible, and here I thought what NBC did to Letterman was bad, this is worse.

  • spinilli

    What NBC did to Leno is what is really bad. They basically asked him to retire so they could hold onto Conan who was threatening to quit. So Leno did what they wanted. Then in the 5 years between Leno giving his retirement date and it actually happening Conan started losing viewers in his Late Show to Craig Fergason while Leno continued to be #1 in the 11:35 hour. Then Fox and ABC started courting Leno to go up against Letterman and Conan and NBC didn’t want that so they gave Leno 10pm. Now 10pm isn’t working and Conan has only half the viewers as Leno had at 11:35. The other half turned to Letterman. If NBC was smart they would bring Leno back to 11:35 and figure something else out for Conan. It’s all about viewers and they have to do something.

  • bombshell323

    They should put Conan back at 12:35 , Jay at 11:35 and get rid of Fallon. He has never been funny.

  • spinilli

    I would agree with you bombshell323 except thats what started the whole thing in the first place was Conan’s contract was coming to an end for the 12:35 slot and he told NBC either he got the earlier slot or he was leaving. So would he go back?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Shane-Murray/1277139962 Shane Murray

    Technically…Leno announced 5 years ago that he would not be retiring at the end of his contract and it wasn’t until Conan was announced as his replacement that Leno wanted changed his mind and wanted to stay. Leno was on his was out because of his own announcement 5 years ago and he should have left as planned instead of screwing everything up.

  • Xavie

    Lets think for a momrnt JAY LENO was the host for the Tonite show before Conan. If Conan was offered the same offer he would accept. Conan is a spoiled sport and most all of the emails I have gotten say none of us care for conan, we do not think he is funny in any way, he never should have had this position!!! making dirty jokes about a fellow comic shows no class!!

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