It’s Official: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

NBC has officially named Jimmy Fallon as Conan O’Brien’s successor to the Late Night throne. The Saturday Night Live alum will start delivering monologues and interviewing guests in Summer 2009.

Rumors that Fallon was the top choice to succeed O’Brien have existed since NBC signed him to an exclusive television deal in February 2007. No other names surfaced as possible contenders, either, unlike the search for Rosie O’Donnell’s successor on The View. For at least the last half year, Fallon was pretty much the given selection.

Late Night executive producer Lorne Michaels, also executive producer of SNL, officially announced Fallon as TV’s newest talk show host at a Monday press conference. The press conference took place on the observation deck of 30 Rockefeller Plaza – the same place Michaels introduced Conan O’Brien in 1993.

Fallon will have to cut his teeth in an increasingly tight late night race – and space. The increasing popularity of Craig Ferguson’s Late Late Show, which is growing organically much like David Letterman’s early Late Night, the NBC predecessor to Conan’s iteration. Plus, the second half of Jimmy Kimmel bleeds over into Fallon’s territory, as well. How will he fair? Time will tell.

But at least we have a year to speculate away. How do you think Fallon will fair as a late night talk show host? Post your thoughts in the comments below!