Trevor Noah is leaving The Daily Show after hosting it for seven years, indicating that he wants to devote more time to stand-up comedy.
The 38-year-old comedian, who moved to the US in 2011 and was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, had a big shoe to fill when he took over in 2015 after long-time host Jon Stewart exited.
He quickly established himself with his own brand, which fits an era when the influence of the Internet was often greater than that of content on cable TV.
His pledge on the Daily Show day comedy Central asked him to accurately cover some of the defining moments in American history, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement and the 2021 attacks on the US Capitol.
I spent two years in my apartment [during Covid]not on the road,” Noah told his studio audience late Thursday. “The parking was done, and when I got there again, I realized there was another part of my life that I wanted to continue to explore.”
The Daily Show posted a clip of Noah’s comments on social media.
“We laughed together, we cried together. But after seven years, I feel like it’s time.
Noah ended his remarks by thanking his viewers while his studio audience stood to applaud.
Noah, who stunned American politicians and the media at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in April, did not say exactly when he would leave in his Thursday remarks. He did not know who would succeed him.
Noah said in a 2016 interview that the key to treating current affairs through a comedic lens lies in the comedian’s intent, adding that he’s learned from his mistakes.
He said of the succession of his legendary predecessor: “I don’t think I would ever have been ready, but that is the time when you should do it – you will not.”
