“The Problem with Jon Stewart”
Michael Greenberg/Apple TV+
Jon Stewart is leaving Apple early.
The former Daily Show host’s return to the talk show scene has ended prematurely as Apple has scrapped plans for an eight-episode third season of the Stewart-hosted series The Problem, sources confirm to .
According to the New York Times, which first reported the news, the cancellation came after creative disagreements between the iPhone maker and Stewart over possible themes and guests for “The Problem.” The NYT reported that Stewart informed his employees on Thursday that Apple had pushed back on issues related to China and artificial intelligence. Production on the third season was already underway and filming could begin soon.
Apple declined to comment.
Sources tell THR that tensions arose between Apple and Stewart over the issues covered in “The Problem” ahead of the show’s third season return. The same sources indicate that Apple reached out to Stewart and informed the host that both sides needed to be in “agreement” on the show’s topics. According to sources, Stewart balked at the idea of being “paralyzed” by Apple, which threatened to cancel the series. According to sources, Stewart wanted full creative control of the series and after Apple threatened to cancel the series, he told the tech company that he would rather leave the show than have his hands tied.
The decision to no longer renew “The Problem” came after Apple and Stewart switched “The Problem” to a weekly release for the second season after the first episodes started every two weeks in fall 2021.
Stewart signed a multi-year deal with Apple in 2020 that included the current show that became The Problem and other development projects through his Busboy Productions banner.
Stewart executive produced The Problem with showrunner Brinda Adhikari, James Dixon and former HBO CEO Richard Plepler through Eden Productions. Chris McShane was co-EP, Lorrie Baranek was executive producer and Chelsea Devantez was head writer.
During its two-season run, “The Problem” received five Emmy nominations, including for talk series and screenwriting.