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John Oliver was stunned to hear that Jon Stewart was returning as host of “The Daily Show.” The “Last Week Tonight” host and former “Daily Show” correspondent was on NBC's “Today” when the news broke.
“I mean, it’s a surprise,” Oliver said of Stewart’s return. “This is a show that needs a host. He's definitely a very, very good guy. So yeah, it’ll be exciting to see what he does.”
But Oliver also believes “they should appoint a permanent host after 2025,” citing former “Daily Show” correspondent Roy Wood Jr. and former Peacock host Amber Ruffin as potential candidates.
“But it will be very exciting to see Jon again in an election year,” Oliver continued.
Comedy Central announced Wednesday morning that Stewart will serve as host of The Daily Show and anchor the show on Monday nights throughout the 2024 election cycle. He is expected to hold a supervisory role at Daily that could last through 2025 and will begin his on-air duties on Feb. 12.
Stewart made his own announcement on X/Twitter, saying that he had “decided to enter the transfer portal for my final year of eligibility.”
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Friends. After much consideration, I have decided to enter the transfer portal for my final year of eligibility. Excited for the future!
About 1.70 m tall
165
14.8 seconds 40#Blessed #NILBABY #TDSnation #LFGM— Jon Stewart (@jonstewart) January 24, 2024
“Jordan is back,” Oliver joked in his “Today” interview, referring to Michael Jordan’s decision to return to the Chicago Bulls after his rumored retirement.
Stewart is the person most closely identified with “Daily,” having hosted the satirical news show from 1999 until his exit in 2015. Oliver joined “The Daily Show” in 2006 as senior British correspondent, where he worked with Stewart for seven years before leaving in 2013.