NBC's Late-Night Shows Stay On Air for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, While Others Go Dark
The Winter Olympics are just around the corner, and with them comes a two-week preemption for late-night TV. But while most late-night shows are off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, NBC is keeping its late-night shows on the air, making it the only broadcast network to air original late-night programming on the holiday. Both The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers will air new episodes, while Gutfeld! on Fox News will also produce a new episode at 10:00pm.
However, this isn't the norm for late-night TV. While all the shows aired new episodes last year, The Daily Show has been dark since 2021, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert followed suit in 2024. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is taking the night off for the first time in 2026. This scheduling split reflects a broader shift in how late-night treats the holiday.
Despite keeping the lights on tonight, both The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers will be off the air for two weeks beginning February 9, when NBC's coverage of the Winter Olympics preempts its late-night lineup. So, while NBC is keeping its late-night shows on the air for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, it's only a temporary reprieve. Stay tuned for updated guest listings and more stories like this in your inbox by subscribing to our daily newsletter.
