Conan o'brien is returning to 'the tonight show' for first appearance since being fired from show 14 years ago

Conan O’Brien is making his way back to _The Tonight Show_! The comedian, 60, will be a guest on the late-night talk show, hosted by Jimmy Fallon, marking his first return to the series

since his short-lived hosting stint from 2009 to 2010. His episode will air on April 9 as a part of O’Brien’s press tour for his upcoming Max series _Conan O’Brien Must Go. _ Nicole Richie

and musical guest Benson Boone will also appear on the April 9 episode. _The Tonight Show_ _with Conan O’Brien_ ran for two seasons on NBC before the host was fired from the role. He was

unceremoniously removed from the show in 2010 after former host, Jay Leno, decided to return to screen. The network proposed a half-hour time bump for _The Tonight Show _to 12:05 p.m., which

O’Brien was outspoken about — and largely met with public support.  “I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for

me to consider losing it,” he said, in part, in a statement at the time. “My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of the _Tonight

Show_. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction. Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet a time slot doesn't matter. But with

the _Tonight Show_, I believe nothing could matter more.” O’Brien bounced back quickly, landing his own self-titled TBS talk show, which aired from 2010 to 2021 for 11 seasons. Leno

commented on the switchup in a 2022 interview on Bill Maher's _Club Random_ podcast, denying he "deliberately sabotaged" O'Brien's shot at the show. "That

doesn't work," Leno said. "It doesn't work that way. You try and do the best you can and it didn't work." Leno’s version of _The Tonight Show_ aired from 1992

to 2009, then again from 2010 to 2014. Fallon, 49, stepped in as Leno’s replacement in 2014 and has maintained the hosting job ever since.  NEVER MISS A STORY — SIGN UP FOR PEOPLE'S

FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER TO STAY UP-TO-DATE ON THE BEST OF WHAT PEOPLE HAS TO OFFER​​, FROM CELEBRITY NEWS TO COMPELLING HUMAN INTEREST STORIES.  _The Tonight Show_ _with Jimmy Fallon_ airs

weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on NBC.