Which late-night talk show is the last to reduce to a four-night schedule?
Jimmy Fallon has officially become the last host among major network late-night shows to cut his show to four nights each week.
Starting this new TV season, NBC’s “Tonight Show,” which previously aired new episodes Monday to Friday at 11:35 p.m. EDT, will now only air repeats on Fridays, a change it began in the summer. This shift is part of NBC’s effort to save costs amid rising expenses and declining ratings in the late-night arena, which also included the dismissal of Seth Meyers’ band. NBC has acknowledged this adjustment but has chosen not to provide further details.
In contrast, Jimmy Kimmel on ABC and Stephen Colbert on CBS have long been broadcasting just four shows a week, with Kimmel even taking the summer off entirely as per his latest contract renewal. However, Kimmel’s show still airs new episodes with guest hosts during this time.
Traditionally, Fallon recorded two episodes on Thursdays and broadcast one on Fridays, along with some original holiday specials. The “Tonight Show” was the ratings leader against its competitors for several years after Fallon took over from Jay Leno in 2014 but is now placed third in overall viewership.