Trevor Noah To Succeed Jon Stewart As 'The Daily Show' Host

Comedy Central announced on Monday that Trevor Noah, a 31-year-old South African comedian, will take over "The Tonight Show" from Jon Stewart.

“I’m thrilled for the show and for Trevor, he's a tremendous comic and talent that we’ve loved working with,” Jon Stewart said, speaking to The New York Times. He also added that he “may rejoin as a correspondent just to be a part of it!”

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Comedy Central President Michele Ganeless said they had found what they were looking for in Trevor.

Many social media users pointed out the choice was surprising, considering that many high-profile names had been tossed around to replace the satirical host. Trevor Noah made his American television debut in 2012 on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," becoming the first South African to be featured on "The Tonight Show." He also has his own late night show in South Africa called "Tonight with Trevor Noah."

Noah first appeared on "The Daily Show" in December when he talked about police brutality in America and Africa. He joked that it made him "a little nostalgic for the old days back home." He's contributed on-air twice since then.

His Showtime comedy special, "Trevor Noah: African American," premiered in 2013. Through the years, he's toured the world, performing sold-out shows at the Hammersmith Apollo in London and the Sydney Opera House in Australia. Last year, Noah received a nomination for "Personality of the Year" at the MTV Africa Music Awards.

For his part, Stewart was not particularly well-known when he started hosting "The Daily Show" in 1999. With him at the anchor desk, the show has won 19 Emmys. It attracts about a million viewers each night.

As for Comedy Central, it is in a period of transition. The Viacom-owned network lost three of its biggest names in a year (Stewart, Stephen Colbert and John Oliver). It is still getting mixed receptions about "The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore."

However, Michele said that Comedy Central’s support of “The Nightly Show” “does not waver.” The executive also stated there had not been “any specific conversations” about what personnel would work with Noah on “The Daily Show,” but added that “he respects and admires the team there that has built the institution.”

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