Jon Stewart extends ‘Daily Show’ hosting gig through end of 2027

Jon Stewart is extending his time in the hosting chair at “The Daily Show” through December 2027.

In addition to hosting the Comedy Central show on Monday nights, the veteran comedian will also remain executive producer of the program for the rest of the week as it rotates its other comedians in the hosting chair, the Paramount-owned network announced Monday. The decision means audiences can expect Stewart to continue needling lawmakers as well as a future President Kamala Harris or Donald Trump with his stinging commentary and satire well into their first year in office.

“I’ve truly enjoyed being back working with the incredible team at ‘The Daily Show’ and Comedy Central,” Stewart said in a statement. “I was really hoping they’d allow me to do every other Monday, but I’ll just have to suck it up.”

Paramount Global co-CEO and Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios CEO and President Chris McCarthy praised Stewart as “one of the most important voices in political and cultural commentary today.”

“His ability to cut through the noise and deliver clear-eyed insights is exactly what we need which is why we are thrilled to have him leading ‘The Daily Show’ for another year,” McCarthy said in a statement.

In 2015, Stewart parted ways with “The Daily Show,” after 16 years in the hosting chair, and was followed by Trevor Noah, who hosted the show through 2022. The show struggled to find a permanent host after Noah’s departure, instead opting for a rotating lineup of comedians helm the program.

Stewart’s initial return to “The Daily Show,” announced this January, came as the show looked to bolster its struggling ratings. The re-hire has largely paid off, with Stewart’s return consistently delivering higher ratings than the show has seen in recent years. As a longtime vocal critic of former President Donald Trump, Stewart’s stewardship has benefitted from the 2024 presidential election cycle, offering the host ample material for his trademark heated monologues.

In his brief time back in the host seat, Stewart has already nabbed an Emmy in the Outstanding Talk Series category, a category he won for 10 consecutive years, from 2003 to 2012. Accepting the award, Stewart noted that the win “made an old man very happy.”

“This is remarkable, to have an opportunity to work with this incredibly talented group, has really made my Mondays,” Stewart said.

Following his 2015 departure, Stewart inked a deal with Apple, for whom he hosted “The Problem with Jon Stewart.” The show’s brief two-season run was cut short in 2023 after Stewart grew frustrated with the technology company’s increasing editorial oversight, which included exerting control over the subjects broached on the program.

Stewart’s return to Paramount Global has marked a major victory for the company as it looks to muscle up its streamer, Paramount.

In a surprise move that has delighted long-time fans and political satire lovers alike, Jon Stewart is not just back at The Daily Show — he’s staying for the long haul. Comedy Central and Paramount Global recently confirmed that Stewart, who initially signed on to host Monday nights through 2025, will now extend his run through December 2027. This announcement cements his status as not just a returning legend but also the steady hand needed to navigate an increasingly chaotic news landscape and an equally turbulent late-night TV scene.

Stewart, who first turned The Daily Show into a cultural juggernaut during his original 16-year tenure, walked away from the show in 2015, passing the torch to Trevor Noah. For years, fans begged for his return, especially during polarizing political moments. While Noah successfully guided the show with his own sharp wit until 2022, the post-Noah era struggled to find an anchor — relying on a rotating cast of comedians to fill the seat. Ratings wobbled and so did the show’s once-unshakable influence.

Everything changed in January this year when Comedy Central made a gamble that paid off instantly: bring back Jon Stewart as a weekly host and executive producer. The timing could not have been better. With the 2024 U.S. presidential election looming and the return of familiar political foes like Donald Trump, Stewart’s pointed humor and razor-sharp commentary were exactly what audiences craved. Ratings jumped, social media buzzed, and the once-limping show once again became essential viewing for political junkies, cynics, and even lawmakers who secretly tune in to see if they’re next on the chopping block.

In his typical self-deprecating style, Stewart quipped that he wished he could host “every other Monday,” but acknowledged with a grin that he’ll “just have to suck it up” and do it every Monday instead. While his appearances are limited to one night a week, Stewart’s role as executive producer guarantees that his voice shapes the entire week’s output, ensuring continuity in tone, biting humor, and journalistic edge — something his fans argue has been missing in his absence.

Chris McCarthy, Paramount Global’s co-CEO and Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios boss, called Stewart “one of the most important voices in political and cultural commentary today,” adding that Stewart’s rare ability to “cut through the noise and deliver clear-eyed insights” is exactly what the world needs in this era of misinformation, partisan divides, and headline fatigue. Industry insiders point out that Stewart’s return is more than nostalgia — it’s a strategic masterstroke for Paramount, which has been doubling down on tentpole properties to boost its streamer, Paramount+, in an increasingly cutthroat streaming war.

For Stewart, the journey back to The Daily Show is not just a victory lap. After leaving in 2015, he signed with Apple TV+ for The Problem with Jon Stewart, a show that was supposed to bring his deep-dive, issue-focused style to the streaming world. However, creative differences over editorial control led to the show’s abrupt end in 2023, with Stewart openly frustrated about Apple’s restrictions on sensitive topics. For a comedian who built his legacy on fearlessly challenging power, censorship — however subtle — was an impossible pill to swallow.

Returning to his Comedy Central home feels, in Stewart’s own words, like reuniting with an “incredible team” that shares his passion for irreverence and truth-telling. And the industry has taken note: Stewart’s brief return has already earned him an Emmy for Outstanding Talk Series, a trophy he dominated from 2003 to 2012 during his original reign. Clutching the award, Stewart joked that it “made an old man very happy,” but to viewers, it symbolized the rightful reclaiming of his throne.

What does this mean for late-night TV at large? Some media watchers believe Stewart’s extended commitment could be a double-edged sword for the genre. On one hand, it restores a heavyweight at a time when late-night ratings are falling and younger audiences are flocking to social media for quick hits of satire. On the other, it underscores the genre’s dependence on familiar faces, raising questions about where the next generation of hosts will come from — especially as the industry wrestles with evolving viewer habits and fierce competition from YouTube pundits and TikTok comedians.

For Stewart himself, the next few years promise no shortage of material. If the White House ends up occupied by either Kamala Harris or a returning Donald Trump, Stewart’s Monday monologues are guaranteed to be appointment viewing. He has always thrived in politically charged climates, using his unique blend of scathing jokes, moral outrage, and fatherly exasperation to both entertain and educate a jaded public.

But beyond politics, Stewart’s staying power also lies in his authenticity. In an age of performative outrage and viral clickbait, he remains a genuine voice — unafraid to admit when he’s wrong, passionate about accountability, and endlessly curious about how the world works (and often doesn’t). It’s why even a new generation, unfamiliar with his original run, is discovering him now on YouTube clips and TikTok edits, charmed by a comedic grandfather who refuses to treat them like fools.

In the end, extending Stewart’s Daily Show tenure through 2027 is more than just a programming decision. It’s a statement that smart, fearless satire still has a place on TV — and that sometimes, the best way to move forward is to bring back the one person who always knew how to cut through the nonsense.

So buckle up: Monday nights are safe in Jon Stewart’s capable, exasperated hands for at least three more years. And given the unpredictable nature of American politics, that might be the comfort we all need right now.