Fox Planning New Late-Night Show to Replace Canceled ‘Wilton North Report’

It’s back to the drawing board for Fox Broadcasting after company executives canceled the late-night comedy show, “The Wilton North Report,” earlier this week. The fledgling network now plans to develop a new late-night program along the lines of its previously canceled and disappointingly-rated “The Late Show.”

“We definitely plan to keep the late-night franchise,” said Brad Turrell, a Fox spokesman. “What we proved with Arsenio Hall (who guest hosted the last several months of “The Late Show”) is that there are a lot of talented, young comedians out there who are capable of being successful hosting their own show.”

Turrell said Hall is under contract to Paramount to star in a new Eddie Murphy film and will be unavailable to host any new Fox program.

Beginning Monday and continuing indefinitely until landing a suitable host and format for another late-night endeavor, Fox will fill the 11:30 p.m. time slot (on local station KTTV Channel 11) with reruns of Hall and “The Late Show.” The final broadcast of “The Wilton North Report” airs tonight.

The status of the staff of “The Wilton North Report”--including executive producer Barry Sand and hosts Paul Cowan and Phil Robins--will be determined next week.