Comedian and Daily Show host, Trevor Noah is set to leave the satirical news program after hosting it for seven years.
He made the announcement on Thursday, with a video on the show’s Twitter handle.
“My time is up,” the 38-year-old said.
“It’s been absolutely amazing. It’s something that I never expected,” he said of his experience hosting the show. “I found myself thinking throughout the time of everything we’ve gone through. The Trump presidency, the pandemic, just the journey, more pandemic and I realize that after the seven years, my time is up.”
The South African comedian said he missed travelling after being grounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I spent two years in my apartment, not on the road,” he said.
“I realized there’s another part of my life that I want to carry on exploring.”
The show rose to prominence under former host Jon Stewart, who hosted the show for 16 years before leaving in 2015.
It came as a surprise to many when relatively unknown Noah was announced as Stewart’s replacement.
There have been no indications of who will take over from Noah.
“With no timetable for his departure, we’re working together on next steps,” said Paramount Global cable network, which owns the Comedy Central show, in a statement to US media.
“We are grateful to Trevor for our amazing partnership over the past seven years. 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,”
Noah detailed his upbringing in apartheid-era South Africa as the son of a black South African mother and a white Swiss-German father in “Born a Crime, his 2016 best-selling memoir.
He expressed his gratitude to his viewers, “The Daily Show” team and to Comedy Central, “who believed in this random comedian nobody knew on this side of the world.”
“I’ve loved hosting this show, it’s been one of my greatest challenges and one of my greatest joys,” Noah said.
The Comedian, writer and producer has won various awards including the Primetime Emmy award.
