Roy Wood Jr. Leaves ‘The Daily Show’ After 8 Years

Roy Wood Jr. is leaving Comedy Central’s The Daily Show after eight years as a correspondent. Wood, who many believed to be a top contender to replace Trevor Noah, announced Thursday that he will not appear on the late-night program when it returns to production later this month as he begins to pursue other endeavors.

“I can’t come up with Plan B while still working with Plan A,” he told NPR. “The job of correspondent…it’s not really one where you can juggle multiple things. [And] I think eight years is a good run.”

Wood first joined The Daily Show in 2015 and has been there as the program undergoes major changes. In late 2022, Noah, the show’s long-time host, announced he would be leaving the program, sparking a hunt for his replacement. Wood has been among a rotating cast of hosts – which has also included Leslie Jones, Chelsea Handler, and John Leguizamo – since Noah’s exit. The Daily Show is set to return with a fresh lineup of guest hosts on Oct. 16 and is set to announce a new host in 2024. While Wood said he is unsure if he’s being considered for the permanent hosting role, he would consider accepting if offered.

“If you’re offered the chance to host The Daily Show at any point in your life… you have to stop for a second and consider that,” he said. “The next question becomes: ‘What does The Daily Show look like in 2024? And what does late night look like in 2024?’”

Wood added in a statement to CNN, “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 expressed his gratitude to Noah, Paramount, and Comedy Central “for giving me the runway to also produce three one-hour stand-up specials, for letting me host two award winning podcasts, letting me write & shoot my own comedy pilot, write a film, and much, much more.”

“I look forward to finding other ways to collaborate with them down the road,” he continued. “Until then, I am excited to nurture new ideas and see what the future holds for me in the shifting sands of late night television, scripted comedy, and whatever else the comedy gods may have in store for me in 2024 and beyond.”

A spokesperson for The Daily Show added of Wood’s exit: “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.”