Comedy Central has announced that Jon Stewart is leaving the Daily Show after 16 years as its host. He took it over in 1999 from Craig Kilborn and has undoubtedly made it into what it is today.
The network’s Twitter page posted a statement from president Michele Ganeless on Tuesday night simply titled, “Thank you, Jon.”
There is no official word on where Stewart will go when he leaves the show later this year, but he reportedly told his studio audience on Tuesday that he is “retiring,” The Verge reports.
The tweet states for almost 20 years Stewart has been “championing and nurturing the best talent in the industry” with his “unique voice and vision.”
Ganeless also wrote, “The Daily Show has become a cultural touchstone for millions of fans and an unparalleled platform for political comedy that will endure for years to come,” adding he will “remain at the helm of The Daily Show until later this year. He is a comic genius, generous with his time and talent, and will always be a part of the Comedy Central family.”
Comedy Central sent off their other mainstay, Stephen Colbert, in December, who will be taking over for David Letterman on the Late Show
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