Jay Leno driving his ‘Garage’ to CNBC
Jay Leno could be back on prime-time television again soon.
Cable network CNBC is expected to announce sometime this week a deal to bring the car enthusiast/former “Tonight Show” host and his “Jay Leno’s Garage” Web series to a weekday evening slot.
The network already has tested the waters with a prime-time version of Leno’s auto-centric Web show.
It made a ratings success out of “Jay Leno’s Garage: The Ultimate Car Week,” a one-off special Leno filmed at the annual Monterey Car Week in and around Pebble Beach. The Labor Day weekend, Sunday night broadcast drew strong ratings to the NBC-owned network.
The deal would keep Leno on the network he called home for decades. He hosted NBC’s “Tonight Show” for almost 22 years before stepping down in February and handing over the reins to Jimmy Fallon.
His “Jay Leno’s Garage” Web series has appeared on NBC.com since 2009.
A CNBC spokesperson said the network had no comment.
But CNBC Chief Executive Mark Hoffman is a longtime Leno fan, and has been keen to find a way to bring him to the network and keep him in the NBC family.
Leno was the co-executive producer of the “Ultimate Car Week” special with veteran Tod Mesirow, whose credits include “Monster Garage,” “Ultimate Car Build-Off,” “Richard Hammond’s Crash Course” and “Myth Busters.”
Leno’s previous prime-time show was a bumpy ride. In May 2009, NBC gave the late night “Tonight Show” job to comedian Conan O’Brien and created a 10 p.m. slot for “The Jay Leno Show.” That arrangement lasted less than a year, and Leno was back on the air as the “Tonight Show” host in March 2010.
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