Following a gasoline fire, Jay Leno sustained “severe burns” but is in stable condition, the former “Tonight Show” host revealed.
“I sustained some terrible burns from a gasoline fire,” Leno stated. I am ok. I’ll be back on my feet in a week or two.”
On Sunday, Leno was taken to the hospital when a fire broke out in his Los Angeles garage. One of the automobiles allegedly caught fire, leaving Leno with burns on his face. For his injuries, Leno was brought to the Grossman Burn Center.
People magazine broke the story on Leno’s health. The comedian was supposed to speak at a financial conference in Las Vegas on Sunday but had to postpone due to a “severe medical problem.” The extent of Leno’s face burns was not revealed at the time.
“His family was not able to provide us very many details, but there was a very serious medical emergency that is preventing Jay from traveling,” an email to attendees read. “All we know is that he is alive, so our prayers go out to him and his family tonight.”
Leno has been open about having high cholesterol for numerous years. The news of a “severe medical emergency” caused many admirers to fear Leno was suffering from a cholesterol problem. In a 2019 video, Leno advised his fans to get periodic cholesterol checks.
.“There’s a lot of people walking around like that, they’re just time bombs. You’ve got all this cholesterol, you don’t realize it until it actually hits, you know?” Leno said at the time. “It’s like in a car, if even one piece of dirt gets in the eye of the needle of the jet, and boom and no more gas comes through. And that’s what happens with your heart.”
Leno took over as host of NBC’s “The Tonight Show,” which he had previously hosted from 1992 until 2009. Conan O’Brien took over as host of “The Tonight Program” after Leno left to launch his own NBC primetime talk show, “The Jay Leno Show.”
Both shows had low ratings, which led to NBC’s notorious decision to reinstall Leno as “The Tonight Show” host in March 2010. Leno continued with the late-night program for another four years before retiring on February 6, 2014. Jimmy Fallon took over for Jay Leno.
In addition to “The Tonight Show,” Leno debuted his CNBC show “Jay Leno’s Garage” in 2015. So far, the show has lasted seven seasons and 88 episodes. “Jay Leno’s Garage” finished its sixth season in October. Beginning in 2021, Leno will also serve as the new host of the reboot of “You Bet Your Life.”