Daly to begin taping new episodes of "Last"

Carson Daly stands in front of the camera during New Year celebrations in Times Square in New York December 31, 2006.

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - NBC's "Last Call With Carson Daly" will be the first late-night talk show to go back into production since the writers strike started.

Host Carson Daly is expected to start taping new episodes of his Burbank-based show this week that will begin airing next week, sources said Monday. "Last Call" airs at 1:35 a.m. weeknights.

While "Last Call" is the first talk show in late-night to re-enter production since the strike began November 5, it's not the first talk show in all of television to do so. Ellen DeGeneres began taping new episodes of her syndicated daytime talker, "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," on November 6.

There's still no word on when NBC's other late-night talk shows -- "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" and "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" -- or other late-night talk shows, including CBS' "Late Show With David Letterman" and "The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson" and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," would return with new episodes. All of those shows, along with "Last Call," have been in repeats.

"Tonight Show" producers have said they are considering other options, including using guest hosts, to get the show back on the air.

This month, employees of "Letterman" and "Ferguson" were notified by David Letterman's Worldwide Pants banner, which produces both shows, that they would be paid through year's end, regardless of whether they return.

The staffs of NBC's late-night shows have been guaranteed their full salaries through at least the end of the month.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter