US Talkshow King Signs $100m Contract

America's most popular late night chatshow host, Jay Leno, has signed a five-year contract reportedly worth more than $100m (£54m) which will keep him at the NBC television network until at least 2009.

Leno has become synonomous with US late-night talk shows after taking over the Tonight Show when Johnny Carson retired in 1992.

It attracts about 6.2 million viewers compared with 4.4 million for the Late Show with David Letterman, aired on rival CBS.

Letterman is still said to be the higher earner, as well as being more critically acclaimed. His show won the Emmy award for best variety show for five straight years. He is believed to earn around $31m a year.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Leno will take home between $25m and $27m a year under his fresh contract that will keep him at the network until he is at least 58.

Leno, who won the Emmy in 1995, told the New York Times: "I'm still not making Dave money. I don't need the money.

"If you can't live on what I make there's something wrong with you."

He was earning about $16m a year under his previous contract, which was due to expire at the end of next year. But NBC was eager to lock the ratings winner in at a time when many of its other popular shows, including Friends and Frasier, are coming to an end.