‘Shifting Gears’ Spoiler: Comedy Legend Joins Tim Allen on Upcoming Episode

Jay Leno is coming to Shifting Gears. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the comedy legend will cameo as himself in an upcoming episode of the Tim Allen-led sitcom. Per ABC, in “Gummies,” airing on Wednesday, Mar. 12, “Riley (Kat Dennings) is horrified when she finds weed gummies in Carter’s (Maxwell Simkins) pocket, prompting surprising advice from Matt. Meanwhile, Eve (Jenna Elfman) inadvertently lands Gabriel (Seann William Scott) and Stitch (Daryl Chill Mitchell) in hot water after asking them to donate to a charity auction.”

As a classic car enthusiast, Leno will bring one of his vehicles into the custom car restoration shop owned by Allen’s Matt. This is not the first time Leno and Allen have worked together, as Leno had a recurring role on Last Man Standing as Joe Leonard, appearing in a total of 28 episodes between 2015 and 2021. This also marks the latest Last Man Standing reunion on Shifting Gears. Allen’s on-screen wife Nancy Travis will be guest starring in the Valentine’s Day episode.

Leno’s appearance on Shifting Gears comes just a few months after the former Tonight Show host suffered a nasty fall and injured his face. He seems to be doing a lot better now, and it will be exciting to see him on Shifting Gears next month. Whether he could be appearing in more episodes is unknown.

Shifting Gears premiered on ABC in January and has been doing pretty well. TVLine reported that the premiere brought in 6.1 million total viewers and a 0.7 demo rating, the 8 p.m. ET slot’s strongest numbers in a while, and was nearly on par with Chicago Med’s ratings in the same slot. It might still be a bit too early to wonder if a second season will happen, but it’s quite possible.

Jay Leno’s latest TV appearance came in an episode of Peacock’s Mr. Throwback in 2024, also as himself. Although it’s still a month away, his cameo on Shifting Gears should be a fun one, and the wait will certainly be worth it. In the meantime, new episodes of Shifting Gears air on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, streaming the next day on Hulu.