'Conan' to return with full shows on March 30 sans audience

Talk show host and comic Conan O'Brien is set to start doing audience-less shows in a new format from March 30 in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the new "Conan" episodes will be shot on an iPhone and will begin airing on TBS, with guests appearing on the show via video feed.

Regular programming on films and shows, both scripted and unscripted, have taken a hit due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Besides "Conan" all other late night shows are tentatively scheduled to resume on the same date. They will be filmed without an audience in compliance with California Governor Gavin Newsom's directive barring gatherings of over 250 people. 

"Conan" executive producer Jeff Ross said the health and safety of the team is their first priority. "Our first priority is the health and well-being of everyone in the Team Coco family, and our second priority is to try and find a way that we can do our jobs safely, from home, and contribute some entertainment for our fans out there who may be hungry for silly distraction," Ross said.

The "Conan" production staff will work from home. "The quality of my work will not go down because technically that's not possible," O'Brien added.