Conan Ending Hour-Long Format, Conan O’Brien Says Goodbye To His Band

TVLine reports that Conan O’Brien is ending his hour-long talk show Conan, before it’s revamped into a new half-hour program in January 2019.

He said: “Trust me, it’s going to be better,” he said. “We did some testing. People were like, ‘A little less of him would be great!’”

He said that this will let him “spend more time on the things I really love,” including “travel shows around the world, silly remote pieces,” and “interviewing brilliant, distinct people.” He also revealed that this means that he will no longer use the services of Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band. The last two segments of the show were performances from the band, including one song with Conan.

He added: “Since we began this show 25 years ago, my band has been a source of joy in my life. These remarkable musicians have given their talent, energy, enthusiasm and incredible showmanship for over 4,000 hours. I’m a student of late-night television. I’ve looked at all the shows going back to the 1950s, and I can say this with confidence: I’ve been graced with the most versatile, loyal and joyously effervescent band in the history of television. To put it very simply, I love these guys.”

TBS will air the primetime special Conan Without Borders: Japan on November 28 at 10 PM ET. O’Brien will start a podcast called Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend, then go on an 18-city tour starting in November. Finally, a new website called Conan 25 will debut in 2019, including thousands of digitally remastered episodes of Late Night, The Tonight Show and Conan.