Jay Leno has undergone surgery to treat the “significant burns” he sustained in a recent petrol fire accident, but is expected to make a “full recovery,” his doctor has said.
The former host of The Tonight Show is reported to be in “good spirits” following the incident in which he suffered “deep second-degree” and possibly third-degree burns.
The incident reportedly took place while Leno was working underneath a car in Burbank, California, on Saturday.
Dr Peter Grossman told US media outlets that Leno had suffered burns to his face, hands and chest during the incident, and has undergone one surgery, with another planned.
“His injuries are serious, his condition is good,” Dr Grossman said.
“Currently, there’s elements of nerve damage…I do anticipate him making a full recovery.
“Whether there will be remnants of this injury is still way too early to tell.”
Leno previously said he was “okay”, but in recovery after the incident.
“I got some serious burns from a gasoline fire,” he said in a statement shared with the PA news agency.
“I am okay. Just need a week or two to get back on my feet.”
Dr Grossman told reporters that Leno was “a gentleman who really doesn’t want to make a big deal of this”.
“He wants to get back to work, that’s what he does. I had to tell him that he needs to step back a bit and that these things take time,” he said.
The US presenter and comedian took over NBC’s Tonight when long-time host Johnny Carson retired in 1992, and returned for another stint from 2010 to 2014, before handing over the reins to current host Jimmy Fallon.
Leno, 72, turned his love of cars into a CNBC series, Jay Leno’s Garage, and now hosts a revival of the game show You Bet Your Life.
