Leno agrees to pay striking staff

US chat show host Jay Leno has agreed to pay laid-off members of his 'Tonight Show' staff - after he was heavily criticised for not offering to pick up their pay cheques amid the ongoing writers' strikes.

Unlike peers David Letterman and Conan O'Brien, Leno - who makes an estimated $27m (€18.4m) a year - had refused to cover the salaries of his show staff out of his own pocket after they were made redundant on Friday.