Jimmy Fallon’s start as host of “The Tonight Show” is a ratings winner for NBC.
Nielsen company figures released Tuesday show 11.3 million people tuned in to watch Fallon’s New York debut on Monday night.
It was the second-biggest audience for “Tonight” since May 2009, when Jay Leno stepped down for Conan O’Brien’s brief run as host.
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Fallon’s “Tonight” debut fell short of the 14.6 million who tuned in Feb. 6 to see Leno sign off, again, after 22 years as host in Burbank.
Enjoying a post-Winter Olympics time slot, Fallon drew 2 million-plus viewers more than O’Brien’s June 2009 “Tonight” opening audience of nearly 9.2 million.
READ: Jimmy Fallon’s ‘The Tonight Show’ Debut: 5 Favorite Moments
NBC says Fallon’s “Tonight” debut, with guests Will Smith and U2, was up 71 percent over his Feb. 6 “Late Night” farewell’s audience of 6.6 million,
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