By Nina Mandell
DNAinfo Producer/Reporter
Conan O'Brien has reportedly called it quits with NBC and will leave after a final episode of his late night show next Friday.
"Conan does not currently plan on doing any more new shows after next week,” a source told People.com.
For viewers, the last week of "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" could be just as entertaining as the past week has been with Leno and O'Brien firing nightly monologues at NBC. ESPN’s Bill Simmons tweeted that Conan was booking big guests so that he would "go out with a bang.”
But rumors are also swirling that NBC is playing hardball to keep O'Brien. Nikki Finke at Deadline Hollywood Daily reported that NBC head Jeff Zucker told O’Brien he would keep him off the air for 3 ½ years if he didn’t play ball.
“Tonight Show” staffers have also told MSNBC.com and People.com that they had not heard that next Friday would be the last day.
The late night host was miffed over NBC’s plan to move the show back to 12:05 a.m. and cut it from an hour to a half hour. He released a statement on Wednesday saying that he would not go along with the network’s plan.
In the meantime, NBC's negotiations with Jay Leno may have taken upward turn. Gossip site TMZ.com reported that Leno had signed a deal with NBC for the 11:35 p.m. to 12:35 a.m. slot, thereby eliminating the need for O’Brien.
