Jon Stewart Set To Return As Host Of 'The Daily Show' After 9 Years
By Afouda Bamidele on January 24, 2024 at 3:45 PM EST
"The Daily Show" announced the return of Jon Stewart to the hosting seat, and the epic comeback has got viewers raving. While Stewart is no stranger to the show and has made several cameos in the past, this news marked his first time hosting again after nine years.
Fans Are Excited About Jon Stewart's Shocking Return To 'The Daily Show
The former host's reemergence on the show after almost a decade is reportedly temporary but with the grand purpose of providing stability. Stewart ran things from the coveted host table from 1999 to 2015 and is back to picking the mantle on Mondays.
The network made the exciting announcement on its Instagram page by posting a picture of the comedian in the studio posing against a backdrop with his legs on the hosting table and captioning it, "Here it is, your Moment of Zen."
Fans swarmed the comment section, expressing their excitement to see Stewart back on the morning screen as one wrote, "The king is back!" and another added, "Let's f—-g goooo!!."
This user welcomed Stewart "home," and we could not agree more, as one more wrote: Best NEWS today!!!! Welcome back to the desk John. #goat miss you!!!!."
Stewart will be handling the control room only on Mondays but will also serve as the new executive producer for every episode from now till 2025. Aside from hosting the show in the past, Stewart also mentored some of the most prominent figures in the comedy industry during his time on "The Daily Show."
His talents include Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah, Olivia Munn, Josh Gad, John Oliver, Steve Carell, and many more.
Stewart's new gig on the show is perfect timing as Apple TV+ recently canceled his TV show "The Problem with Jon Stewart" after a reportedly heated back and forth with Apple executives over show topics and guests per TMZ.
Before this new development, Stewart surprised guest host Roy Wood Jr. last April on the show when he showed up dressed in the iconic costume of the "Star Wars" character Obi-Wan Kenobi.
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The Blast shared details of the hilarious exchange between Stewart and Wood, including one where Wood feigned ignorance about Stewart's time as host on the show. "I used to work here when the budget wasn't as big a few years back," joked Stewart. "I actually hosted the program, to be honest with you." Wood replied, "The Daily Show had a white host?"
Roy Wood Jr.'s Exit From The Show Last Year Raised Major Concerns
Stewart's return will certainly pull the show out of troubled waters after it came under fire for failing to make Roy Wood Jr. a permanent host last year. The comedian announced his exit from the hosting seat after eight years of serving as a correspondent alongside Trevor Noah, who left in 2022.
"After eight amazing years on The Daily Show, where I've been able to pursue my comedic and political curiosities with some of the best writers, producers, crew, and correspondents anyone could hope for, I've made the decision to move on," Wood announced.
The Blast shared that Woods expressed his lack of desire to wait for a permanent hosting gig, hence he would be moving forward, as he added:
"What could they really say? [They're] not going to give me the job just to keep me."
However, the 45-year-old stated that he was open to considering a permanent hosting job should the network change their minds. Wood's exit was met with enthusiasm from Comedy Central as their spokesperson shared that they wished Wood nothing but the best in his future endeavors.
"Roy Wood Jr. is a comedic genius and beloved teammate. His insights and hilarity helped us make sense of the 2016 election, the pandemic, and countless hours of Fox News. We thank him for his time with us and can't wait to see what he does next," the spokesperson announced.
The decision gathered loads of negative feedback from viewers, who wondered why they failed to offer Wood a permanent spot.