The second-most watched “Tonight Show” telecast since May 2009, Monday’s premiere of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” drew 11.314 million viewers.
Down from the 14.637 million drawn by Jay Leno’s sign-off on February 6, the viewership mark is otherwise the best since Leno’s first “Tonight Show” exit aired on May 29, 2009. That broadcast drew 11.901 million viewers.
Monday’s premiere drew a 3.8 adults 18-49 rating, which ranks as the best number since Conan’s final telecast drew a 4.4 on January 22, 2010. It is the highest-rated Monday telecast since the Jay Leno-hosted “Tonight” aired a Johnny Carson tribute on January 24, 2005.
Monday’s “Fallon,” which kicked off at 12AM ET, dominated its late night rivals. Both airing from 11:35-12:35, CBS’ “Late Show with David Letterman” and ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” drew a 0.5 with 2.411 million viewers and a 0.4 with 2.106 million, respectively.
According to NBC, the top ten markets for the broadcast were Denver, St. Louis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Chicago, Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle-Tacoma, Houston and Orlando-Daytona Beach.
