Jon Stewart returns to 'The Daily Show' as host and executive producer

The comedian, who, over his 16-year tenure as host of the Comedy Central programme, solidified it as a significant influence in entertainment and culture, is set to make a comeback. Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios declared that he will resume hosting the show every Monday starting February 12.

Stewart, making his return as the 2024 presidential election season gains momentum, will not only host but also serve as the executive producer for the show. He will collaborate with a rotating lineup of comedians who will take charge of the programme on the other weekdays, from Tuesdays through Thursdays.

"Stewart is the voice of our generation, and we are honored to have him return to Comedy Central's 'The Daily Show' to help us all make sense of the insanity and division roiling the country as we enter the election season," Chris McCarthy, the chief executive of Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios, conveyed in a statement.

"In our age of staggering hypocrisy and performative politics. Jon is the perfect person to puncture the empty rhetoric and provide much-needed clarity with his brilliant wit," McCarthy added.

Stewart earned praise as the host of "The Daily Show" for his incisive humor, employing it to deliver cutting and often amusing monologues that targeted the hypocrisy of politicians.

In the upcoming 2024 election, with Joe Biden and Donald Trump as key figures, Stewart is expected to have abundant material for his comedic endeavours. Given Stewart's history as a vocal critic of Trump, it is certain that he will utilise the platform to playfully criticise the former president.

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Stewart's comeback to the esteemed show is bound to create considerable anticipation and inject a much-needed burst of excitement to revitalise the programme, which has faced challenges in finding its stride in recent times. 

Following his departure from "The Daily Show" in 2015, Stewart agreed with Apple to host a show for the tech company's budding streaming service. However, the show came to an abrupt end last year. Stewart informed staff members that his frustration stemmed from the substantial control that the Silicon Valley giant sought to exert over the show's content and guest list.

Successfully persuading Stewart to make a comeback to "The Daily Show" is a significant achievement for Comedy Central. Despite Trevor Noah receiving critical acclaim as the host after Stewart's departure, the show never quite reached the same level of cultural impact that it had under Stewart's leadership.

The acquisition of Stewart is a victory for Paramount Global, which has been working to invigorate its Paramount+ streaming service. Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios, overseeing a substantial portion of the streamer's content library, announced that episodes featuring Stewart will be accessible on the platform the day following their airing on Comedy Central.