Trevor Noah shocked a lot of people just a few weeks ago when he announced that he’d be stepping down as host of The Daily Show after seven years. And in the aftermath of him breaking the big news, people probably have a number of questions. For starters, who’s going to replace him as the host of the long-running talk show? Aside from the uncertainties directly involving the series, there’s also the matter of what lies ahead for Noah. The political pundit has now shed some light on what he plans to do once his tenure ends.
Trevor Noah revealed his departure during The Daily Show’s September 29th episode. During the monologue, the host expressed gratitude for having been able to hold the position for as long as he has and also reflected on the many things he’d experienced throughout his stint. At the time, Noah indicated that he was eager to try some new things once his time on the show was done. He expanded on that during a recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Noah started off by saying that he wants to do “everything,” before getting more specific about his plans:
I’m so excited to do everything. I didn’t get to travel as much, doing stand-up [comedy] around the world. I’m excited to do that. I used to go to a country, and I would be there for weeks on end. I would learn the parts of the language, I would learn about the culture, I would do a show based around it. I’m going to get back to doing that. Producing, you know? Just working behind the camera. Working on different ideas, you know? Going back home, spending more time with family in South Africa. Everything is what I’m gonna be doing.
It sounds like the 38-year-old comedian has already formed a number of goals for the future. While his time on the Comedy Central chat show wasn’t as long as his predecessors’, one can understand why he’d be ready to step away. As he told Jimmy Fallon, “the show is hard,” as it takes a lot of work and collaboration to get a program like his ready for air. Overall, it sounds like the outgoing host is eager for his next chapter and is leaving of his own accord. (That latter point seemingly counters what Megyn Kelly said about his exit.)
Trevor Noah’s big news purportedly ruffled some feathers behind the scenes, however. Per a report, only a few crew members knew that Noah was going to exit the show and announce it during a taping. And allegedly, he revealed his exit to a group of people in the studio audience before even discussing the matter with a number of his co-workers. Noah’s comments about his future plans do line up with the recent report, though, as it was said that the star was eager to get back to doing stand-up.
All the while, Comedy Central has yet to reveal who’s going to take over for the pundit once he steps down. But rumors suggest that The Daily Show has one potential candidate, and he’s already with the program. Roy Wood Jr., who’s served as a correspondent on the series for the past seven years, is allegedly a frontrunner for the job. While this is far from confirmed, Wood would be a logical choice. His hiring would make sense, as he's definitely talented. Plus, his hiring would help to maintain a sense of continuity, from a creative standpoint.
Trevor Noah’s final episode will air on Thursday, December 8, so fans still have some time before the show’s new era kicks off. Noah seems pumped to do some more exciting things with his crew before he signs off and, hopefully, that’s an indication that he’ll close things out on a high note.
The Daily Show airs new episodes weeknights at 11 p.m. ET as part of the 2022 TV schedule, and you can also stream them with a Paramount+ subscription.
