Leno pushed back to late night

SAN DIEGO — Jay Leno is going home.

Home, that is, to late night television.

In a statement from NBC Universal TV chairman Jeff Gaspin "The Jay Leno Show," currently in the primetime 10 p.m. slot will end after February. The network’s plans are to move the veteran host to a later 11:30 time slot.

Gaspin made his announcement during the Television Critic’s Association Press Tour held in Pasadena, Calif.

"My goal right now is to keep Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien and Jimmy Fallon as part of our late-night lineup,” Gaspin said. “As much as I’d like to tell you we have a done deal, we know that’s not true."

Gaspin’s response came during wide speculation from various media outlets and social networks that the cancellation of "The Jay Leno Show" was imminent.

In an opening monologue last week, Leno made light of the awkward situation and joked, saying: "There’s a rumor, I don’t know if you’ve heard, that we’re canceled. I heard it on the radio on my way down here…If we did get canceled it would give us some time to do some traveling. In fact I heard FOX is beautiful this time of year."

NBC’s plan also calls O’Brien to retain his job with “Tonight” but at the later hour of 12:05 a.m. Jimmy Fallon and “Late Night” would be pushed to 1:05 a.m.