Trevor Noah Leaving 'The Daily Show' After Nearly a Decade

By Brenda Alexander

Trevor Noah is ending his tenure as host of The Daily Show after seven years. Noah, who inherited the coveted seat from Jon Stewart in 2015, took over as host under much pressure. He told Variety in a 2020 interview that it was a difficult first few years.

"I will say the first two years were horrible — and it was horrible because I had taken over one of America's most beloved institutions," he said at the time. "And even though Jon Stewart had passed over the reins to me, it was essentially a year of people telling me I shouldn't be doing the job and I was unworthy of being in that seat. And I continued to believe that. You step into this new role and you're doing a new job and most of the first year was just trying to stay afloat, just trying not to get canceled and trying to find my footing. And the analogy I use is trying to learn how to fly a plane while the plane is flying. That's what it felt like every single day." He's since become a nighttime favorite across all channels, and has made the show his own.

Noah announced his departure in front of a live taping on Thursday, Sept. 29. When his final show will be is unclear. Jill Fritzo, a representative for the host, could not be reached for immediate comment when questioned about the matter. But the network says things remain amicable. "We are grateful to Trevor for our amazing partnership over the past seven years.  With no timetable for his departure, we're working together on next steps," they said in a statement. "As we look ahead, we're excited for the next chapter in the 25+ year history of The Daily Show as it continues to redefine culture through sharp and hilarious social commentary, helping audiences make sense of the world around them."

His exit marks another change in diversity on the heels of the exits of Bee and Singh and the end of the Desus & Mero series on Showtime. It may impact how Comedy Central chooses to proceed.

Comedy Central reportedly has several potential replacements already. The host works with a large circle of faux "correspondents." Desi Lydic, Roy Wood Jr., Ronny Chieng, Michael Kosta, and Dulcé Sloan. Jordan Klepper, are all in mind. 

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