During his nearly 40-year career in Hollywood, Jon Stewart has seemingly done it all. Stewart has starred in blockbuster films, hosted multiple shows, directed two movies, written two best-selling books, and won 23 Emmy Awards. However, Stewart will always be most closely associated with his tenure as the host of The Daily Show, the wildly successful satirical political talk show. His acerbic wit and sharp intellect made him the perfect fit for the series, which has been skewering the news and helping audiences make sense of the world’s chaos since 1996.
Stewart hosted The Daily Show from 1999 to 2015. During that time, he interviewed nearly every major politician, covered historic events like 9/11, and served as a voice of reason during multiple presidential elections. The show became a ratings powerhouse for Comedy Central and a cultural touchstone for viewers around the world. Stewart left the show in 2015 to pursue other creative endeavors, and Trevor Noah was named his successor. However, in January 2024, Stewart shocked fans by announcing his return to The Daily Show. His comeback revitalized the series, boosting both its cultural relevance and ratings once again.
The Daily Show's Ratings Skyrocketed When Jon Stewart Returned
Viewers Welcomed Jon Stewart Back Even Though He Only Hosted One Day A Week
On February 12, 2024, Jon Stewart officially returned to The Daily Show, and fans eagerly tuned in to see their favorite sarcastic news host back in action. His first night back became the show's most-watched episode since March 2018. 930,000 viewers watched live, a number that grew to 3.06 million after factoring in repeats and streaming on Paramount+ (via THR). Although Stewart was only hosting on Monday nights, the show's weekly ratings saw a massive boost, reaching their highest levels in three years.
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While ratings dipped slightly a few months in, The Daily Show still averaged 546,000 live viewers per episode, well above its 2023 numbers and Trevor Noah's final episodes in 2022. The 2024 presidential election also played a major role in boosting viewership. Stewart hosted a live episode following the first presidential debate, which drew 966,000 viewers, a 28% increase from his Monday night average and the show's highest ratings in seven years. His live election night special also delivered big numbers, ranking as the show's third-highest audience of the year, following the season premiere and debate special.
Jon Stewart Has Extended His Deal To Host The Daily Show Through December 2025
The Comedian Will Continue To Host The Monday Night Show
Eleven months after Jon Stewart's return, Comedy Central announced that they had renewed his deal to host The Daily Show. Stewart will continue hosting the Monday night episodes through December 2025 while also serving as the show's executive producer. The remaining nights will be hosted by the current rotating anchors: Desi Lydic, Ronny Chieng, Michael Kosta, and Jordan Klepper. After the renewal, Stewart released the following statement. (via Variety)
“I’ve truly enjoyed being back working with the incredible team at ‘The Daily Show’ and Comedy Central. I was really hoping they’d allow me to do every other Monday, but I’ll just have to suck it up…
Stewart's future with the show beyond 2025 remains uncertain. However, given how warmly viewers have embraced his return and the endless stream of crazy news providing material for his sharp commentary, Comedy Central would no doubt love for him to continue on with The Daily Show for the foreseeable future.
The Daily Show
Release Date July 22, 1996
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Self - Contributor 'Out at the Movies'
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Michael Showalter
Self - Contributor 'God Stuff'
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English (US) ·