ABC Will Woo Leno, Network Exec Says
Posted on: Thursday, 17 July 2008, 06:00 CDT
LOS ANGELES -- The president of entertainment for ABC confirmed yesterday that the network is planning to pursue Jay Leno, who is scheduled to leave NBC's Tonight Show next year.
"I can't believe that they're going to let this guy go at the top of his game," Stephen McPherson said during the annual television critics' tour.
McPherson was responding to a question from ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, masquerading as a reporter during the news conference.
McPherson said that when Leno's contract is up, Kimmel would be part of any conversation about bringing Leno to ABC, including possibly moving up Kimmel's show to 11:30 p.m.
NBC plans for Conan O'Brien to replace Leno.
With only two new series on ABC's fall schedule -- the drama Life on Mars (premiering Oct. 9) and the game show Opportunity Knocks (Sept. 23) -- McPherson spent his time at the tour addressing other rumors and plans for the season.
He denied that Katherine Heigl might be written out of Grey's Anatomy (returning with a two-hour premiere Sept. 25) as payback for critiquing the quality of her character's story this past season.
"She's absolutely staying with the show," he said.
"There's an unbelievable story line for her this year that's really central for everything that's going to go on this season."
On Private Practice -- the second show from Grey's creator Shonda Rhimes -- McPherson said its second season (beginning Oct. 1) would include fewer scenes of characters talking about their love lives.
"(Rhimes) does an unbelievable job of character, but it works best when it's laid over these medical stories," McPherson said.
As a result, the Kate Walsh character, Dr. Addison Montgomery, will be getting back into surgery.
McPherson also confirmed reports published yesterday that Katie Holmes would make a guest appearance in the second episode on the returning series Eli Stone (Oct. 14). Holmes, in keeping with the show's format, will sing and dance, he said.
McPherson expressed optimism that the network's new comedy acquisition, Scrubs (premiering midseason), would continue past this year, and commended creator David E. Kelley for carefully planning the end of Boston Legal (Sept. 22).
Of the network's only new scripted fall series, Life on Mars, McPherson denied that the show was struggling creatively after almost the entire cast was replaced.
"They have crafted a fantastic script which is really much more in keeping with what we wanted to do with it," McPherson said of new executive producers Andre Nemec and Josh Appelbaum.
Sopranos star Michael Imperioli was recently added to the drama, starring Jason O'Mara as a police officer who ends up back in the 1970s after an accident.
Source: The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio
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