Jon Stewart has spoken out about the future of The Daily Show With Jon Stewart after Stephen Colbert announced The Late Show With Stephen Colbert would end in May 2026.
In the July 17 episode of Stewart’s The Weekly Show podcast, he opened up about what he thinks could happen to The Daily Show on Comedy Central, which, like The Daily Show, is owned by Paramount. Paramount is currently in the middle of an $8 billion merger with Skydance.
“Unfortunately, we haven’t heard anything from them,” Stewart, 62, said. “They haven’t called me and said like, ‘Don’t get too comfortable in that office, Stewart!’”
He continued, “I’ve been kicked out of s****ier establishments than that. We’ll land on our feet.”
Additionally, Stewart confessed that he “honestly [doesn’t] know” what the future of The Daily Show is at this point.
The TV personality originally hosted the late-night show from 1999 to 2015, when Trevor Noah took over. After Noah left in 2022, a rotation of guest hosts held down the fort. Stewart signed on for a long-term run in February 2024, agreeing to host The Daily Show through the 2024 presidential election; he extended his duties through December 2025.
“I’d like to believe that… Like, without The Daily Show, Comedy Central is kind of like muzak at this point,” Stewart said on his podcast. “I think we’re the only sort of life that exists on a current basis other than South Park.”
Mere hours after Stewart’s podcast episode dropped on July 17, Colbert, 61, announced via Instagram that The Late Show would end after the 2025–26 season.
“Before we start the show, I wanted to let you know something that I found out just last night,” he said in the clip. “Next year will be our last season. The network will be ending The Late Show in May.”
As the live audience booed, Colbert added, “Yeah, I share your feelings.”
“It’s not just the end of our show but it’s the end of The Late Show on CBS. I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away,” he continued. “And I do want to say that the folks at CBS have been great partners.”
Colbert took over as host of The Late Show after David Letterman‘s run from 1993 to 2015.
In a statement, CBS noted that the decision to end The Late Show was financial and “not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”
“We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire The Late Show franchise at that time,” the statement read in part. “We are proud that Stephen called CBS home. He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late-night television.”
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, Weekdays, 11/10c, Comedy Central