Accompanying the announcement is news that O'Brien has signed a long-term deal with NBC which will keep him on ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' for the next five years, leading up to the transition.
''It is a great accomplishment and testament to both Jay and Conan that we were able to all work together on a long-term plan for this important institution,'' says NBC Universal Television Group President Jeff Zucker. ''We look forward to more years of laughs from Jay and are thrilled to have Conan's future be as part of the NBC family.''
Leno took over ''The Tonight Show'' on May 25, 1992, as Johnny Carson stepped down after nearly 30 years on the show.
''In 2009, I'll be 59 years old and will have had this dream job for 17 years,'' Leno says. ''When I signed my new contract, I felt that the timing was right to plan for my successor and there is no one more qualified than Conan. Plus, I promised Mavis I would take her out for dinner before I turned 60.''
''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' premiered on Sept. 13, 1993, and after weathering low early ratings, the show has become a consistent audience and critical favorite. By assuring the ''Tonight Show'' order of succession, NBC has put a stop to rumors of O'Brien's departure, which spring up whenever a late-night job opens. O'Brien has made no secret of his desire to move into the earlier time period and now he knows when that change will come.
'''The Tonight Show' is one of the great franchises in television and I am thrilled to get this opportunity,'' O'Brien says. ''I am thankful to everyone at NBC - which has been my home for the last eleven years - and I am particularly grateful to Jay for all the generous support and kindness he has always shown me.''
'Survivor': Double tribal trouble
Well this is one way to keep a reality franchise fresh after all these years. Only two episodes into its new season, ''Survivor: Vanuatu'' will have a double Tribal Council during Thursday's episode, tossing two players in the volcano (symbolically).
During the episode, the castaways will discover the secret at what host Jeff Probst reveals will be a double Reward/Immunity challenge. Although both the Yasur and Lopevi clans will visit Tribal Council and one member will be voted off each team, CBS publicity promises that the challenge will put one player in ''a very influential position.''
After the first two episodes of ''Vanuatu,'' the men and the women are all even. The testosterone-driven Lopevis voted Brook off initially, fearing that he was a threat, while last week saw the distaff Yasurs boot Dolly off for being indecisive or something silly like that.
Drawing 20.06 million viewers for its first episode, ''Vanuatu'' had the popular franchise's second least-watched premiere since the very first installment. ''Survivor'' held up relatively well in its second episode, drawing 19.14 million viewers, comfortably topping the audiences for NBC's ''Joey'' and ''Will & Grace.''
CBS tribute to Ray Charles
Music stars ranging from Stevie Wonder to Elton John to Reba McEntire will celebrate the life and music of Ray Charles in a CBS special next month.
''Genius: A Night for Ray Charles'' is set to air Oct. 22. The one-hour special, taping Oct. 8 at L.A.'s Staples Center, will feature performances of several of the legendary singer's songs, including ''Georgia on My Mind,'' ''I Can't Stop Loving You'' and ''Unchain My Heart.''
Jamie Foxx, who plays Charles in the feature film ''Ray'' (which opens the following week), will host the special. Al Green, Norah Jones, B.B. King, Kenny Chesney and Mary J. Blige are also among those scheduled to perform.
Charles won 12 Grammy Awards during his career and influenced scores of musicians with his genre-hopping recordings that encompassed rock 'n' roll, country, R&B, jazz and gospel. He died in June at age 73.
