Trevor Noah is leaving The Daily Show after hosting it for seven years, saying he wants to devote more time to stand-up comedy.
The 38-year-old comedian, who moved to the United States in 2011 and was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, had big shoes to fill when he took over in 2015 following the departure of the longtime host. date Jon Stewart.
It quickly established itself with its own brand, suited to a time when online influence often outweighed that of cable television content.
His reign on The Daily Show on Comedy Central required him to delicately cover some pivotal moments in American history, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement and the 2021 attacks on the United States Capitol.
“I spent two years in my apartment [during Covid], not on the road,” Noah told his studio audience Thursday night. “The stand-up was over, and when I got back there, I realized there was another part of my life that I wanted to keep exploring.”
The Daily Show posted an excerpt of Noah’s remarks on social media.
“We laughed together, we cried together. But after seven years, I feel like it’s time,” he said.
Noah ended his remarks by thanking his viewers as his studio audience stood to applaud.
Noah, who roasted US politicians and the media at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in April, did not mention his exact departure date in his Thursday remarks. We did not know who would succeed him.
The key to approaching current affairs through a comedic lens is a comedian’s intent, Noah said in a 2016 interview, adding that he 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’s when you have to – you won’t be ready.”