Trevor Noah to step down as host of 'The Daily Show'

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By Asiya Ali

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Trevor Noah has announced that after seven years he's stepping down as the host of The Daily Show.

In a video statement shared on Twitter on September 29, the 38-year-old comedian dropped the sudden news while reflecting on his seventh anniversary as the host of the show.

Noah said that after a substantial amount of years as host of the Comedy Central satirical news program, his "time is up," and explained that he will be concluding his time on the show "in the most beautiful way".

While neither the TV host nor Comedy Central offered a timetable for his departure, the network shared a statement with Variety that it was "grateful to Trevor for our amazing partnership" and said that it was excited "for the next chapter" of the show.

Watch Noah's departure announcement below:

Noah was born in South Africa and moved to the United States in 2011. He was seen as a bold choice when he took over in 2015 after the exit of longtime host Jon Stewart. But he quickly established himself and built a devoted audience.

"So many people didn't believe in us," he said, adding, "It was a crazy bet to make. I still think it was a crazy choice - this random African."

His reign on The Daily Show allowed him to discuss some of the most critical moments in American history, such as Donald Trump's presidency, the Black Lives Matter movement, Covid-19 pandemic, and the attacks on the US Capitol in 2021.

Noah said hosting the show has been one of his greatest challenges and joys, saying: "I wanted to say thank you to the audience for an amazing seven years. It's been wild. It's been truly wild."

"I never dreamed that I would be here. I sort of feel like 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.' I came here for a tour of what the previous show was and then the next thing you know I was handed the keys," he added.

Noah disclosed that he had a recent realization and said there was more that he wanted to do recently when he was able to travel again. He also hinted at his desire to return to more standup work.

"I spent two years in my apartment, not on the road, and when I got back out there, I realized there’s another part of my life out there that I want to carry on exploring. I miss learning other languages. I miss going to other countries and putting on shows," he said.

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Trevor Noah at the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner. Credit: REUTERS / Alamy

Noah’s has gained stardom since hosting on The Daily Show - which initially featured host Craig Kilborn when co-creators Madeleine Smithberg and Lizz Winstead launched the show in 1996.

In April, he hosted the White House Correspondents Dinner and in the same month, he made his second consecutive appearance as host of the Grammy Awards. In addition to this, the TV personality is also a best-selling author.

Noah ended his farewell announcement to applause from the audience and did not share when his final show would be. However, he said that he'd still be around for a while. "I’m not disappearing - don’t worry. If I owe you money, I’ll still pay you," he joked.

Featured image credit: Sipa US / Alamy