Leno Is NBC’s $100 Million Man
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Jay Leno has signed a new deal with NBC that will keep him at the helm of “The Tonight Show” through at least 2009.
The new contract is said to be worth more than $100 million to Leno over the life of the deal. The host’s most recent contract, a five-year pact signed in January 2001, had been set to expire at the end of next year.
Sources said the deal calls for Leno to pull in about $25 million-$27 million per year, a significant bump from his previous salary, estimated to be about $18 million per year. Leno, 53, has frequently said he does not touch his “Tonight Show” money, opting instead to live on earnings from his standup gigs. It was unclear late Monday whether Leno’s new contract takes effect immediately.
Leno took over the “Tonight Show” reins from Johnny Carson in 1992. “Tonight Show” generates about $100 million in annual profits for NBC, according to a report in the February edition of Fortune magazine.
“Tonight Show” averages about 6 million viewers each week, compared to about 4 million for CBS’ “Late Show With David Letterman.” Letterman, however, is believed to still pull in a slightly fatter paycheck with an annual salary estimated at $31.5 million.
Categories