Entertainment

Could Craig Ferguson Be Leaving Late Night For 7 O'Clock?

An exclusive report from Variety says Craig Ferguson will host a syndicated talk show at 7 p.m. to precede prime time television.

Could Craig Ferguson Be Leaving Late Night For 7 O'Clock?
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In late April Craig Ferguson announced he'd be leaving "The Late Late Show." But until now, we didn't know what was next for the Emmy-nominated talk show host. 

Now, according to an exclusive report by Variety, Ferguson will host a daily, thirty-minute talkshow to air at 7 p.m. "across Tribune Broadcasting’s 42 stations."

If Ferguson's show does air at 7 p.m., he'd no longer be a late night host — late night television runs from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. Still, there's a method to the madness, says Variety. 

"The hope is that Ferguson will bring an established fan base to a time period with far less talk/variety/comedy competition. ... The established players are pretty well-entrenched: think 'Wheel of Fortune' and 'Jeopardy,' 'Entertainment Tonight' and 'The Insider,' 'Extra' and 'Access Hollywood.'"

But a writer for Deadline Hollywood says it's a smart move. "The ratings potential is very big ... in success, it would put Ferguson in a powerful position in the talk show universe."

Geoff Peterson: "You should toss that log into the fire." 
Tribune Broadcasting appears to be relying on Ferguson's unique form of comedy to pique viewers' interest.

The Hollywood Reporter says the show will "be quite similar to his current series," and will even tape in the same studio where he films "The Late Late Show."

In the meantime, Ferguson is set to host a syndicated game show called "Celebrity Name Game," which will air in late September. According to The Wrap, the game is based on the board game "Identity Crisis."

Multiple sources point to a Fall 2016 launch date for Ferguson's talk show.

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