He's Baaaaack: Jon Stewart To Host Current Affairs Series on Apple TV+

After years spent mostly away from the spotlight, Jon Stewart is returning to the world of television.

Source: Michael Reaves / Getty

According to reports from The Hollywood Reporter, the former host of The Daily Show has signed a multi-year first-look deal with Apple TV+. With this new deal, the 57-year-old will host a current affairs series that “explores a host of topics at the center of both the national conversation.”

The currently-untitled series is going to tackle a single subject per hourlong episode, also being accompanied by a podcast that will continue the discussion. Stewart will executive produce the series under his Busboy Productions company, and alongside his longtime manager James Dixon and former HBO chief Richard Plepler.

This deal marks Stewart’s return to the small screen more than five years after retiring from The Daily Show, where he served as host, writer, and executive producer. During his 16-year run with the satirical news series, the show secured a number of accolades and honors, including a couple of Grammys, some Critics’ Choice Awards, two GLAAD Media Awards, and 20 Emmy Awards. Stewart and the series have also been credited for launching the careers of many comedians–like Stephen Colbert and Steve Carell–and establishing a new genre of late-night comedy.

While this is definitely a show we could have used over these last four years, this news is exciting, nonetheless.

Stewart has been relatively low key since his departure from the Daily Show in 2015. The comedian was working on a project for HBO, in which he inked a four-year deal to create a political and multi platformed animated series. Negotiations for the new show were put to a halt back in 2017 due to technical reasons. Since then, Stewart wrote and directed the film Irresistible which starred Rose Byrne and Steve Carell. The movie released back in June.