EXCLUSIVE: Jimmy Fallon 'Set to Turn Lights Out on Tonight Show' To Get 'Last Laugh' on Network Bosses Before His Contract Deal Dies
Jimmy Fallon is said to be nearing the end of his talk show career.
June 7 2025, Published 8:00 a.m. ET
Tomorrow is not guaranteed for Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show, and staffers are panicking he could leave them high and dry, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Fallon's contract runs until 2028, but he could be eyeing the exit way before then – as a final snub to network bosses as he loves getting "the last laught," sources told us.
"His preference would be to retire from the show as the leader in the ratings, but he’s realistic about this stuff, and he could even leave before his contract is up, if that’s the network's decision," an insider said.
Huge Exit
The rise of Stephen Colbert, right, looms large over Fallon's legacy.
The source went on: "He's also dealing with a big question about the future of late-night TV in general, which is, how long can the party last?
"No matter what, it's going away because of the general decline in broadcast TV."
According to another insider, even though the funnyman experienced a big resurgence in popularity when he broadcast from home during the pandemic – which the critics and even his haters loved – the bump evaporated when he returned to the studio.
Ever since, The Tonight Show has been a weak number two in the ratings against The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.
"The big problem here is that nobody is talking about the show anymore and Jimmy, and NBC, feel that and have to respond to it," said our source.
NBC insiders say past scandals and shaky ratings are leaving Fallon high and dry.
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"Jimmy has an entire staff that is looking at this job as a stepping stone, not a destination," our source insisted.
In 2023, the host faced allegations of creating a toxic workplace, being drunk on set, and verbally abusing subordinates. The host publicly apologized to his co-workers and expressed his embarrassment and regret, but it only went so far in bolstering his colleagues' loyalty.
While an NBC spokesperson said our story "is not true," Fallon is planning for his post-Tonight Show future.
Our well-placed TV insider stressed: "Jimmy is continuing to develop and produce new shows that can be part of his exit plan, where he can even bring along trusted writers and producers into his new projects."
