(Photo by Victoria Will/Invision/AP, File)
Jon Stewart will return to the Comedy Central’s The Daily Show next month, nine years after he retired from the program.
According to CNN, Stewart, who helmed the show for 16 years, will return as a host every Monday starting February 12th. He will also executive produce the show while a rotating line-up of comedians host the program Tuesdays through Thursdays.
Stewart’s return will coincide with the 2024 presidential race as former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden appear to be set to face each other again in the general election. The comedian has been a vocal critic of Trump since he first announced his candidacy in 2015.
“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,” said Chris McCarthy, chief executive of Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios.
“In our age of staggering hypocrisy and performative politics,” the executive continued. “Jon is the perfect person to puncture the empty rhetoric and provide much-needed clarity with his brilliant wit.”
Stewart himself also wrote a light-hearted post on X, formerly known as Twitter, after the news dropped of his return.
Friends. After much reflection I have decided to enter the transfer portal for my last year of eligibility. Excited for the future!
5’7” ish
165
14.8 second 40#Blessed #NILBABY #TDSnation #LFGM— Jon Stewart (@jonstewart) January 24, 2024
Stewart’s monologues gained acclaim for mocking politicians and exposing hypocrisy of the country’s leaders. In recent times, the comedy show has struggled to regain its popularity.
Per CNN:
Convincing Stewart to return to “The Daily Show” is a major coup for Comedy Central. While Trevor Noah received critical acclaim for hosting program after Stewart exited, it never quite had the same cultural impact it did under Stewart’s stewardship.
The poaching of Stewart is also a win for Paramount Global, which has been trying to breathe life into its Paramount+ streaming service. Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios, which is responsible for much of the streamer’s content library, said episodes with Stewart will be available on the platform the day after they air on Comedy Central.
