Jon Stewart may not be leaving The Daily Show after all. The longtime host revealed this week that he’s in talks to extend his contract beyond December, when his current deal with Comedy Central is set to expire. The update came as a surprise, given Stewart's previous plans for The Daily Show and the current late-night TV climate.
Stewart, who originally stepped away from The Daily Show in 2014, appears to be following a familiar pattern since returning in 2024. Back then, he stayed far longer than expected after initially planning a short run during the election. Once again, the host’s renewed interest in staying seems tied to the political moment, as his style of satire and analysis continues to resonate with audiences. It also doesn't hurt that The Daily Show is earning some of its best ratings in years.
When asked if he plans on signing a new contract, Stewart responded "we’re working on staying.” The comments came during an interview with New Yorker editor David Remnick at the New Yorker Festival (via The Hollywood Reporter).
However, the path to Stewart’s new deal could be complicated by corporate politics. The recent merger between Paramount and David Ellison’s Skydance Media has raised questions about the future of late-night TV. Stewart openly criticized Paramount in the past over its reported $16 million settlement with Donald Trump, who had sued the company over the editing of a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris. Stephen Colbert did the same thing at Paramount-owned CBS, and many critics argue it cost him his Late Show gig. Does Paramount really want to keep Stewart around, knowing he has no problem biting the hand that feeds? And what if the White House comes calling and asks Ellison to change his content?
So in many ways, it’s a tough time to be in late-night. The genre has been shrinking fast, with network executives ending shows like The Late Show, The Late Late Show, and After Midnight. And political pressure from the current administration has raised concern that any host can be cancelled at any time.
But those concerns don't seem to be enough to deter Jon Stewart from walking away from late-night TV again. He made it clear he wasn't going to change his ways despite what happened to Stephen Colbert at CBS or to Jimmy Kimmel at ABC. The Daily Show host isn't backing down to any pressure and appears set on doing late-night his way for as long as someone is willing to put him on the air. And maybe that shouldn't surprise anyone who's been watching his entire career unfold.