John Oliver, host of Last Week Tonight, has expressed his surprise at the news of Jon Stewart’s return as host of The Daily Show. During an episode of NBC’s Today show, Oliver reacted to the announcement, stating, “I mean, that’s a surprise. That’s a show that needs a host. He certainly is a very, very good one. So yeah, it’ll be exciting to see what he does.”
Stewart, who previously hosted The Daily Show from 1996 to 2015, will make his comeback as the show’s regular Monday night host on February 12th. This return will coincide with the entire duration of the 2024 US Presidential election cycle. The rest of the week will be hosted by Daily Show correspondents, including Desi Lydic, Michael Kosta, Ronny Chieng, and Jordan Klepper.
As a friend and former colleague of Stewart, Oliver suggested that after 2025, a permanent host should be appointed. He named Daily Show correspondent Roy Wood Jr and former Peacock host Amber Ruffin as suitable replacements. Oliver also expressed his excitement to see Stewart back on the show during an election year, stating, “Jon Stewart is the voice of our generation, and we are honored to have him return to Comedy Central’s The Daily Show to help us all make sense of the insanity and division roiling the country as we enter the election season.”
Chris McCarthy, president and CEO of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios, also praised Stewart’s return, stating, “In our age of staggering hypocrisy and performative politics, Jon is the perfect person to puncture the empty rhetoric and provide much-needed clarity with his brilliant wit.”
Oliver joined The Daily Show in 2006 as its senior British correspondent and won three Emmy awards for his writing. He temporarily filled in for Stewart for two months in 2013 before leaving the show at the end of the year. Oliver went on to host his own HBO series, Last Week Tonight, which is currently in its 11th season.
When Stewart initially left The Daily Show in 2015, he was replaced by South African comedian Trevor Noah, who hosted the show from 2015 until 2022. Noah bid an emotional goodbye to the show on December 8th, marking the end of his tenure as host.
The return of Jon Stewart to The Daily Show has generated excitement and anticipation among fans and fellow comedians alike. With his sharp wit and insightful commentary, Stewart is expected to provide much-needed clarity and humor in a time of political division and hypocrisy. As the voice of a generation, his return is highly anticipated and eagerly awaited.
