Jimmy Fallon has a five-letter word for NBC: pilot.
The Tonight Show host is developing a game show adaptation of the New York Times’ popular daily puzzle Wordle. Though not a shoo-in to go to series, the hopeful NBC project would further expand the host’s primetime real estate on his home network.
Keeping things in the peacock network’s family, lead Today anchor Savannah Guthrie has signed on to host the show’s pilot. Guthrie has been a frequent guest of Fallon’s since her first appearance on Late Night in 2013, going on to guest on The Tonight Show 11 times.
Fallon has history with Wordle himself. Back in January 2022, he spent nearly seven minutes trying to solve that day’s word on air. At the time, the viral sensation was an independent endeavor from Wales-based software engineer Josh Wardle. Weeks later, The New York Times acquired Wordle, eventually folding it into a new NYT Games app.
Beyond his one-off Wordle segment, Fallon has maintained a consistent connection to the NYT Games portfolio with “Tonight Show Connections,” a riff on the Times’ game Connections.
Fallon has been planting flags in NBC’s primetime programming slate for years, producing game shows like That’s My Jam and Password for the network through his production company, Electric Hot Dog, in partnership with Universal Television Alternative Studio. Fallon also took on on-screen duties for those productions, hosting That’s My Jam and serving as a permanent contestant on Password. (That’s My Jam has since been adapted internationally to nine other regions.)
Most recently, he added On Brand with Jimmy Fallon to the mix, the reality competition series NBC has positioned on Tuesday and Friday nights throughout October.
Dang it, I was hoping to host a Wordle game show.
He literally just started his “On Brand” show not even a month ago, and he already has his Password show. Either those gigs aren’t going well, or he wants more attention like the attention seeker he is.
Jimmy is likely “diversifying” his talents and business interests. As far as “The Tonight Show” goes, Jimmy will likely become the last man standing in the genre….where it all began…..on NBC!
Please! Fuckface Fallon has always been a pathetic attention seeker! He’s continuing Jay Leno’s legacy of bringing shame to the Tonight Show! Fuckface deserves to be the first one fired out of a cannon,
>>>>Jimmy will likely become the last man standing in the genre….
That’s just sad. The lamest win?
Why Savannah Guthrie as host? Her voice sounds shrill, and she is fake as a three dollar bill. Hoda would have been best, or Al Roker.
Out of those three in-house talent, Guthrie is the youngest. Hoda is like semi-retired.