David Letterman Is Returning to TV With a New Talk Show on Netflix

He just couldn’t stay away! David Letterman is gearing up for a return to television with a new show on Netflix, Entertainment Weekly announced on Tuesday, Aug. 8. The upcoming talk show — yet-to-be titled and set to air in 2018 — will reportedly feature “in-depth conversations with extraordinary people, and in-the-field segments expressing his curiosity and humor.”

Each show in the six-episode series will include one, long-form interview with a single guest, unlike most typical, quick talk show sit-downs. “I feel excited and lucky to be working on this project for Netflix,” David, 70, said in a statement. “Here’s what I have learned — if you retire to spend more time with your family, check with your family first. Thanks for watching, drive safely.”

MORE: Jay Leno Dishes on His Late Night Feud With David Letterman — “David Is Odd — He’s Just Awkward”

Netflix’s Chief Content Officer, Ted Sarandos, similarly gushed about the former Late Show host’s new series in a statement. “Just meeting David Letterman was a thrill; imagine how exciting it is for me to announce that we will be working together. [He] is a true television icon, and I can’t wait to see him out in the wild, out from behind the desk and interviewing the people he finds most interesting. We’ll have to see if he keeps the beard.”

Check out the gallery below to see 10 fascinating Late Show facts!

Bill Murray was Dave's first and last guest

Dave's friend Bill was his first-ever guest on Late Night with David Letterman — which ran on NBC from 1982 until 1993 — on Feb. 1, 1982. He then served as the star's Late Show debut guest on CBS on Aug. 30, 1993, and provided the show's final interview on May 19, 2015. Over the years, Bill appeared with Dave 44 times!