Paramount has renewed Jon Stewart’s deal to proceed hosting Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” as soon as per week by way of the 2026 midterms, resolving months of speculation about the media firm’s plans for the late-night present.
Comedy Central stated Monday that the present’s correspondents will proceed to take turns hosting Tuesdays by way of Thursdays whereas Stewart hosts on Mondays.
Stewart initially returned to his previous present in 2024 — after first hosting from 1999 till 2015 — saying he needed a platform to “unload thoughts as we get into this election season.”
He nonetheless had loads to say after President Trump returned to workplace in January, and he remained a dependable rankings magnet.
However, followers started to fret about his future at Comedy Central when Paramount went by way of a protracted merger course of and made a number of concessions to the Trump administration.
In July, CBS, a company sibling of Comedy Central, cancelled “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” main many, together with Stewart, a good friend of Colbert’s and a producer of “The Late Show,” to query the said rationale.
“Was this purely financial?” Stewart requested in a scathing monologue. “Or maybe the path of least resistance for your $8 billion merger was killing a show that you know rankled a fragile and vengeful president.”
Media analysts famous on the time that Stewart’s contract at “The Daily Show” was expiring on the finish of the yr.
New house owners took cost of Paramount in August and signaled hopes to revitalize cable channels like Comedy Central, whereas reducing prices on the identical time.
Disney’s choice in September to droop ABC late-night star Jimmy Kimmel amid stress from the Trump administration furthered questions about your complete late-night TV panorama.
Stewart’s place was clear. He had “more or less laid down his gauntlet about his intention not to cave as so many other media companies, law firms, and academic institutions have under bullying from Washington,” wrote Bill Carter, the creator of two books about late-night TV.
In an on-stage interview final week with Stewart, The New Yorker editor David Remnick introduced up widespread perceptions of media moguls capitulating to President Trump and requested about Stewart’s standing.
“We’re working on staying,” Stewart responded.
Now the deal is completed, in line with Monday’s press launch from Paramount. Stewart will proceed hosting and government producing the present by way of December 2026.
Ari Pearce, head of Comedy Central, stated in a press release that Stewart’s return “is an ongoing commitment to the incisive comedy and sharp commentary that define The Daily Show.”
He added, “We’re proud to support Jon and the extraordinary news team.”