Trevor Noah announced that he is leaving Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” after seven years as the host.
The South African comedian made the announcement on Thursday to a live studio audience as part of his monolog, telling his audience, “My time is up.”
“I realized after the seven years, my time is up … but in the most beautiful way,” Noah told the audience. “I’ve loved hosting this show. It’s been one of my greatest challenges. It’s been one of my greatest joys. I’ve loved trying to figure out how to make people laugh even when the stories are particularly shitty on the worst days.”
Noah said that after spending a couple of years in his apartment, he realized he wanted to spend more time on the road and in other countries doing shows and meeting new people.
Check out the video below:
A special message from Trevor Noah pic.twitter.com/lMM8ll51fu
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) September 30, 2022
A representative for Comedy Central told Variety in a statement the show will go on after Noah’s exit, saying, “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. 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,” the statement added.
Response to Noah’s departure was a mixed bag, with conservatives leaning toward the negative. Fox News contributor Joe Concha told Fox News Digital he found the show a “profound disaster.”
“That’s not my opinion. It’s all in the numbers in terms of comparing viewership between the Stewart era and Noah era. And since the show was so predictable, it almost never created the viral buzz Stewart’s did,” Concha said.
Noah took the place of longtime host Jon Steward in what was a surprise move for the network, considering Noah had only made a few appearances as the correspondent for the show.
“I’m thrilled for the show and for Trevor,” Stewart said at the time, according to The New York Times. “He’s a tremendous comic and talent that we’ve loved working with.”
Concha, however, joked about Noah’s time as the host saying, “Noah will be carried off the field in celebration like Rudy was at Notre Dame as some kind of hosting hero by the usual suspects in media reporting,” after he exits the program.
Comedian Tim Young also weighed in telling Fox News, “Trevor Noah was never able to fill the shoes that Jon Stewart had left for him at the desk at ‘The Daily Show.’ Even conservatives loved Stewart as a host, whereas Noah was significantly more divisive and lacking the same authenticity in the role.”
“Stewart was influential and is to this day,” Young continued. “Noah by comparison may move the needle at leftist conventions, but nothing more.”
