Comedy Central has finalized a new deal with Jon Stewart to continue his return to The Daily Show, the network confirmed Wednesday. The agreement extends Stewart’s presence through the 2024 election cycle and into 2025.
Stewart made his surprise comeback to the late-night program in February, hosting Monday episodes while a rotating cast of correspondents handles Tuesday through Thursday installments.
The arrangement maintains Stewart’s current schedule of anchoring one night per week, allowing him to remain as both host and executive producer without committing to a full-time schedule.
“Jon Stewart is the voice of our generation, and we are honored to continue our partnership with him,” said Chris McCarthy, President and CEO of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios.
The comedian originally hosted The Daily Show for 16 years before departing in 2015, when Trevor Noah (Born a Crime) took over the desk. Noah exited the series in 2022 after a seven-year run.
Paramount Global, the parent company of Comedy Central, had been searching for a permanent replacement when Stewart agreed to return in a limited capacity. His partial return has provided stability to the show while allowing for new voices to develop on other nights.
The Monday episodes featuring Stewart have delivered significant ratings increases for the network, with viewership up 30% from previous months.
Stewart’s new deal comes amid a turbulent period for late-night television, with several long-running shows ending and networks seeking fresh approaches to the format. His partial presence represents a hybrid model that could become more common in the evolving landscape.
The network has not announced any changes to the current rotation of correspondents — including Desi Lydic, Michael Kosta, Ronny Chieng and Jordan Klepper — who will continue hosting the remainder of the week.
