Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter
Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter
The late night icon was burned in a gasoline fire on Sunday.
By James Hibberd
Writer-at-Large
Jay Leno has been seriously injured by a fire that broke out in his Los Angeles car garage.
The 72-year-old former late night icon was burned in what he has described as a gasoline fire on Sunday, a source confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.
The former Tonight Show host was reportedly taken to Grossman Burn Center with “serious burns” to his face, according to TMZ.
“I got some serious burns from a gasoline fire,” read a statement from Leno. “I am OK. Just need a week or two to get back on my feet.”
Related Stories
People magazine first reported that Leno canceled an appearance at a financial conference in Las Vegas on Sunday night due to a health issue.
“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,” stated an email to Forum 2022 attendees from The Financial Brand. “All we know is that he is alive, so our prayers go out to him and his family tonight.”
TMZ was first to report the fire and claimed that one of Leno’s cars burst into flames, though it’s not yet clear exactly what occurred.
Leno reportedly owns about 180 vintage and exotic cars and roughly 160 motorcycles. Since leaving The Tonight Show after 22 seasons in 2014, he has funneled his passion for motor vehicles into the successful CNBC series Jay Leno’s Garage, which has run for seven seasons. The most recent episode featured President Joe Biden.
In 2016, Leno was in a car accident while testing a drag-racing vehicle for Leno’s Garage, with the vehicle rolling over several times during a test run at California’s Irwindale Speedway. “Well that was certainly exciting,” Leno said at the time. “It doesn’t get more exciting than that.”
Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day
Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day
Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter
Send us a tip using our anonymous form.