Comedian Jimmy Fallon has emerged as the hot favourite to replace Conan O’Brien as the host of U.S. T.V. talk show Late Night.

O’Brien will move to an earlier time slot on network NBC’s schedules in 2009 when he takes Jay Leno’s place on The Tonight Show.

Fallon is now expected to be unveiled on May 12th, during a network presentation to advertisers in New York, according to the Hollywood Reporter.