Trevor Noah announces exit from The Daily Show

Trevor Noah ended Thursday's Daily Show by telling his audience that after exactly seven years hosting the late-night topical comedy show, it's time for him to move on.

"It's been absolutely amazing," Noah said. "It's something that I never expected. And I found myself thinking throughout the time, you know, everything we've gone through: the Trump presidency, the pandemic, just the journey of, you know, the more pandemic." But after seven years, "my time is up — yeah, in the most beautiful way," he added after the audience gasped. "After seven years, I feel like it's time."

"I realized there's another part of my life that I want to carry on exploring — I miss learning other languages, I miss going to other countries and putting on shows, I miss just being everywhere, doing everything," Noah said. He thanked his costars, his production teams, and his audiences, and he said no details have been worked out about when he will depart or who will replace him as The Daily Show's fourth host in 25 years.

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"Man, I never dreamed that I would be here," Noah said. "I sort of felt like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — I came in for a tour of what the previous show was, and then the next thing I know I was handed the keys."

"We are grateful to Trevor for our amazing partnership over the past seven years," a Comedy Central representative told the Los Angeles Times, confirming there's "no timetable for his departure" yet. "As we look ahead, we're excited for the next chapter in the 25+ year history of The Daily Show as it continues to redefine culture through sharp and hilarious social commentary, helping audiences make sense of the world around them."