At 75, Jay Leno — the beloved comedian and former Tonight Show host — has finally broken his silence on one of Hollywood’s longest-running rumors, admitting that a decades-old affair once threatened to derail both his career and his marriage.

In a series of emotional excerpts from his upcoming memoir, Leno reveals what he calls “the most complicated chapter” of his life — a period in the 1980s when, at the height of his fame, he fell in love with another woman despite being married to his longtime wife, Mavis Leno.

“She was the love of my life,” Leno reportedly writes. “But not the one I could keep.”

For years, Leno has been seen as the clean-cut “nice guy” of late-night TV — the hard-working comic who avoided scandal while rival hosts crumbled under controversy. But behind that affable grin, insiders say, was a man torn between loyalty and longing.

The affair — long dismissed as tabloid gossip — has now been partially confirmed by Leno himself. Though he has refused to name the woman, multiple sources claim she was a rising Hollywood actress who shared a deep emotional bond with the comedian during his early Tonight Show years. Their relationship, Leno admits, “never should have happened — but it changed me forever.”

The timing of this revelation could not be more poignant. In recent years, Leno has stepped away from the spotlight to care for Mavis, who is battling dementia. Those close to the couple describe their relationship as “unbreakable,” yet Leno’s confession has reignited speculation about the cost of fame and the secrets that linger beneath even the strongest marriages.

“Fame doesn’t protect you from guilt,” Leno reportedly told a friend. “If anything, it magnifies it.”

The memoir — expected to drop in late 2025, coinciding with his 75th birthday — is already sending shockwaves through the entertainment industry. Publishers are reportedly bidding millions for the rights, calling it “the most explosive celebrity autobiography since Prince Harry’s Spare.”

Beyond the scandal, the book promises a deeper look at Leno’s extraordinary life: his struggles with dyslexia, his relentless work ethic, his rise from Boston stand-up clubs to becoming one of television’s most iconic hosts — and the emotional cost of keeping the world laughing while his personal life unraveled behind the curtain.

Friends say Leno hopes his honesty will finally “set the record straight,” not to sensationalize the past, but to show that even comedy’s biggest stars face heartbreak, regret, and redemption.

“I’ve lived two lives,” he reflects. “One for the world, and one for the truth. I think it’s time people met both.”

With the memoir already topping pre-sale lists, one thing is certain — Jay Leno’s long-held secret has reignited interest in one of America’s most enduring entertainers. And as the world braces for what he reveals next, one question lingers: who was the woman who stole Jay Leno’s heart — and why did he let her go?