Jay Leno bids emotional farewell to ‘The Tonight Show’

LONDON - American television personality Jay Leno has ended his 17-year stint as the host of The Tonight Show.

The talk-show host bowed out of his final appearance Friday by welcoming the 68 kids born to his staff during his run on the show, reports contactmusic.com.

Leno first saluted trombone player Matt Fenders’ teenage daughter Hannah, who was born just weeks after he started as show’s frontman, and then he held back tears as he introduced the other 67 children.

He ended the show by boasting the kids were his legacy and that when they asked their parents where they met, they’d say, “They met on the stage of ‘The Tonight Show’.”

Leno’s last show began with a studio audience standing ovation that lasted almost two minutes and then the white-haired host joked, “When I started this show, my hair was black and the President was white.”

The comedian’s replacement, Conan O’Brien, was Leno’s last guest.