Jay Leno is close to a deal to host his first regular television show since leaving NBC's "The Tonight Show" back in February.
Leno, 64, is in advanced discussions with the business cable network CNBC to anchor a prime time spot about cars, according to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, citing a person close to Leno.
The show will air in primetime, not late night, according to the report.
Sources said he was wooed by a number of outlets, like CNN, A&E, History and the Tribune stations, according to the report.
A CNBC spokesperson declined to comment on the deal. CNBC and NBC are both units of Comcast.
Leno stepped down as anchor of "The Tonight Show" back in February and was replaced by Jimmy Fallon.
Since he left, Leno has continued to work as a stand-up comedian. He's also known for his huge collection of rare and classic automobiles.
CNBC is known for its daytime coverage of the world of finance and business, but it has been challenged to attract an audience in the evenings as of late. In order to try bringing in viewers, the channel has tried reality shows and repeats of ABC program "Shark Tank."
Though the network's audience has dropped significantly since its coverage of the financial crisis in 2008, ratings have increased since 2013.
Viewership in its targeted demographic of viewers ages 25 to 54 increased 124 percent this season through Oct. 1, according to an analysis of Nielsen data by Jefferies analyst John Janedis.
Leno hosted ""Jay Leno's Garage: The Ultimate Car Week" on Aug. 31 on CNBC, which posted good ratings for the channel.
The special, which was based on Leno's Emmy-winning web series "Jay Leno's Garage," took viewers into the heart of Monterey Week. There's a good chance the special was a test-run to see if a primetime show on cars would work.
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