Jimmy Fallon’s opening night as ‘Tonight Show’ host brings TV institution back to New York

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Former “Late Night” host Jimmy Fallon makes his much-anticipated debut Monday as star of NBC’s “Tonight Show.”

Scheduled guests are U2 and Will Smith, as the TV institution returns to New York after four decades on the West Coast. It airs at a special time, midnight Eastern time.

Fallon, who had hosted “Late Night” since 2009, moves up to the job Jay Leno held for much of the past 22 years until his recent departure from the “Tonight” host chair.

The 39-year-old Fallon first found stardom as a cast member and “Weekend Update” co-anchor on “Saturday Night Live.” He left “SNL” in 2004 to pursue a movie career, but was met with less success in that arena.