Conan O'Brien returns to "The Tonight Show" as a guest

Conan O’Brien returns to "The Tonight Show," 12 years after his controversial departure from NBC in 2010.

Conan O’Brien is poised to make a notable comeback to "The Tonight Show" for a guest appearance on April 9, marking his first visit to the iconic late-night show since his tumultuous departure from NBC in 2010.

 

The celebrated comedian and former host will be promoting his new travelogue series, "Conan O’Brien Must Go," scheduled to premiere on Max on April 18.

 

This appearance signals O’Brien’s first televised project since the conclusion of his long-running TBS show, “Conan,” in 2021, which enjoyed an 11-season tenure.

 

Although O’Brien has since been absent from NBC's late-night scene, he made a cameo in a pre-taped sketch for "The Tonight Show" in 2018 with Stephen Colbert, yet next week's visit will be his first in-person appearance since the high-profile split.

 

O’Brien’s upcoming guest spot on "The Tonight Show" marks a return to a stage that was once a battleground in one of the most publicised transitions in late-night TV history.

 

O’Brien, a staple at NBC since 1993, was set to take over from Jay Leno in 2009, stepping into the coveted 11:30 pm slot with "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien." However, NBC’s choice to retain Leno with his 10 pm program, "The Jay Leno Show," laid the groundwork for a tumultuous period in late-night television.

 

Leno's 10 pm show flopped, impacting ratings across NBC's late-night. Due to low viewership and network decisions, O’Brien was replaced by Leno on "The Tonight Show" after just one season.

 

Following his exit, O'Brien transitioned to TBS, where his show "Conan" enjoyed an 11-season run until its conclusion in 2021.