John Oliver was stunned to hear that Jon Stewart is 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, that’s, that is a surprise,” Oliver said of Stewart’s return. “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.”
But Oliver also believes that “after 2025, they should appoint a permanent host,” naming former “Daily Show” correspondent Roy Wood Jr. and former Peacock host Amber Ruffin as potential candidates.
“But it’s going to be very exciting to see Jon again in an election year,” Oliver continued.
Comedy Central revealed Wednesday morning that Stewart would serve as the “Daily Show” host on Monday nights throughout the 2024 election cycle and to run the program. He is expected to play an oversight role at “Daily” that could extend through 2025, and will start his on-air duties Feb. 12.
Stewart made his own announcement on X/Twitter, saying that he’s “decided to enter the transfer portal for my last year of eligibility.”
“Jordan’s back,” Oliver quipped in his “Today” interview, referencing Michael Jordan’s decision to return to the Chicago Bulls after his supposed retirement.
Stewart is the persona most closely identified with “Daily,” as he hosted the satirical news program from 1999 until his exit in 2015. Oliver joined “The Daily Show” in 2006 as its senior British correspondent, where he worked with Stewart for seven years before leaving in 2013.