David Letterman is making a small-screen comeback with a new Netflix talk show.
The as-yet-untitled series will include six hour-long episodes that will see the famed US late-night host conduct long-form interviews with guests – and explore topics outside the studio.
“I feel excited and lucky to be working on this project for Netflix,” he said in a statement. “Here’s what I have learned, if you retire to spend more time with your family, check with your family first. Thanks for watching, drive safely.”
Letterman was the host of two Emmy-winning shows: Late Night with David Letterman and The Late Show. In total, he was on air for 33 years and hosted 6,000 episodes, making him the longest serving host in US late-night TV history.
“Just meeting David Letterman was a thrill; imagine how exciting it is for me to announce that we will be working together,” said Ted Sarandos, the chief content officer at Netflix. “David Letterman is a true television icon, and I can’t wait to see him out in the wild, out from behind the desk and interviewing the people he finds most interesting. We’ll have to see if he keeps the beard.”
Since his final episode of The Late Show in 2015, Letterman has contributed to the climate change documentary show Years of Living Dangerously and co-hosted The Essentials, a film show with Alec Baldwin.
The deal marks the latest big star name to sign with Netflix, after Chris Rock was reportedly signed up for a $40m contract and Jerry Seinfeld was paid a rumored $100m for two stand-up specials and the rights to his show Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.
Letterman’s new show will be produced by RadicalMedia, the company behind acclaimed Netflix documentary What Happened, Miss Simone?
