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Trevor Noah Jon Stewart, Trevor Noah is replacing Jon Stewart on The Daily Show.

The South African comedian, who joined the Comedy Central staple as a senior international correspondent in December, will be filling the late-night slot at just 31 years old. His premiere date will be announced at a later time.

"Trevor Noah is an enormous talent. He has an insightful and unique point of view, and most importantly, is wickedly funny," said Michele Ganeless, Comedy Central president. “For the next host of The Daily Show, we set out to find a fresh voice who can speak to our audience with a keen take on the events of the day, and we found that in Trevor. He has a huge international following and is poised to explode here in America, and we are thrilled to have him join Comedy Central."

In addition to awards shows, radio programs and comedy festivals, Noah hosted his own late-night show in South Africa for two seasons. He made his American debut on Jay Leno's The Tonight Show, and has since been on Late Show With David Letterman — becoming the first South African stand-up comedian to appear on either show. His comedy special about being born a mixed-race child in South Africa under Apartheid, Trevor Noah: African American, premiered in the U.S. on Showtime in July 2013. For Noah, who can speak eight different languages including German and six different dialects of African languages, race and ethnicity are prominent themes in his comedy.

Stewart said of his successor in a statement, "I’m thrilled for the show and for Trevor. He’s a tremendous comic and talent that we’ve loved working with. ... In fact, I may rejoin as a correspondent just to be a part of it!!!"

News of Stewart's replacement comes less than two months since The Daily Show host informed viewers Feb. 10 that he would be leaving the show after more than 15 years behind the anchor desk. The search to find a successor has been complicated by the fact that many of the presumed top choices have recently signed onto new shows that prevent them from taking the gig. Among them: Stephen Colbert, who is gearing up to replace David Letterman as the host of CBS' Late Show in September; John Oliver, who just received a two-year renewal for his HBO talk show Last Week Tonight in February; and Samantha Bee, who in early March announced she'd be leaving The Daily Show to host and exec produce her own TBS show.

In December, Comedy Central said goodbye to one of its other signature series, The Colbert Report, which aired after The Daily Show. In January, the series was replaced by Larry Wilmore's The Nightly Show, a production of Stewart's via his Busboy Productions.

"It’s an honor to follow Jon Stewart. He and the team at The Daily Show have created an incredible show whose impact is felt all over the world," said Noah. "In my brief time with the show they’ve made me feel so welcome. I’m excited to get started and work with such a fantastic group of people."

Noah also tweeted on Monday morning, "No-one can replace Jon Stewart. But together with the amazing team at The Daily Show, we will continue to make this the best damn news show!"

Trevor Noah Jon Stewart, In December, Trevor Noah, a 31-year-old comedian, made his debut as an on-air contributor on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” offering his outsider’s perspective, as a biracial South African, on the United States.

“I never thought I’d be more afraid of police in America than in South Africa,” he said with a smile. “It kind of makes me a little nostalgic for the old days, back home.”

Now, after only three appearances on that Comedy Central show, Mr. Noah has gotten a huge and unexpected promotion. On Monday, Comedy Central will announce that Mr. Noah has been chosen as the new host of “The Daily Show,” succeeding Mr. Stewart after he steps down later this year

The network’s selection of Mr. Noah comes less than two months after Mr. Stewart, 52, revealed on Feb. 10 that he was leaving “The Daily Show” after a highly successful 16-year run that transformed the show into authoritative, satirical comedy on current events. (An exact timetable for Mr. Stewart’s departure has not been decided, Comedy Central said.)Mr. Noah, who spoke by phone from Dubai, where he is on a leg of a comedy tour, said he had been given a great opportunity, as well as a significant challenge.

“You don’t believe it for the first few hours,” Mr. Noah said of learning about his new job. “You need a stiff drink, and then unfortunately you’re in a place where you can’t really get alcohol.”

The appointment of Mr. Noah, a newcomer to American television, promises to add youthful vitality and international perspective to “The Daily Show.” It puts a nonwhite performer at the head of this flagship Comedy Central franchise, and one who comes with Mr. Stewart’s endorsement.

“I’m thrilled for the show and for Trevor,” Mr. Stewart said in a statement. “He’s a tremendous comic and talent that we’ve loved working with.” Mr. Stewart added that he “may rejoin as a correspondent just to be a part of it!!!”

But the decision also invites questions about Mr. Noah’s experience and visibility (or lack thereof), and why the network did not choose a woman to crack the all-male club of late-night television hosts.

Michele Ganeless, the Comedy Central president, said in an interview: “We talked to women. We talked to men. We found in Trevor the best person for the job.”

Ms. Ganeless added: “You don’t hope to find the next Jon Stewart – there is no next Jon Stewart. So, our goal was to find someone who brings something really exciting and new and different.”

In his standup routines, Mr. Noah comes across as a self-assured polyglot with an international perspective.

As he joked in a 2013 comedy set on “Late Show With David Letterman,” Mr. Noah said that he did not like being introduced as a comedian from Africa, as if he represented the entire continent. “They make it sound like a guy in leopard skin’s going to come running on the stage,” he said.

Mr. Noah said in his phone interview, “I didn’t live a normal life – I grew up in a country that wasn’t normal.”

He grew up in Soweto, the son of a black Xhosa mother and a white Swiss father, whose union was illegal during the apartheid era. “My mother had to be very clandestine about who my father was,” Mr. Noah said. “He couldn’t be on my birth certificate.”

By the time he started performing stand-up in his 20s, Mr. Noah said he had long been taught that “speaking freely about anything, as a person of color, was considered treason.”

His globetrotting spirit (and ability to speak six languages) set him apart in comedy, and he performed widely in the United States between 2010 and 2012, eventually coming to Mr. Stewart’s attention about two years ago.

When Mr. Stewart announced his plans to depart “The Daily Show,” Ms. Ganeless said that Comedy Central quickly drew up “a shortlist” of possible successors “and Trevor checked off every box on that list and then some.”

“He brings such a unique worldview and a deep understanding of human nature, which makes his comedy so insightful,” she added. “He’s truly a student of the world.”

Mr. Noah gave no formal auditions for the job, outside of his performances on “The Daily Show” and elsewhere.

Ms. Ganeless said the decision was made after she “huddled” with Doug Herzog, the president of Viacom’s entertainment group, and Kent Alterman, the Comedy Central president of content development and original programming, while Mr. Stewart acted as “our consigliere through the whole process.”

During this time, fan support emerged for other longtime “Daily Show” cast members, including Samantha Bee, who joined in 2003 and is leaving to create a comedy news show for TBS.

A grassroots campaign also coalesced around Jessica Williams, who has appeared on “The Daily Show” since 2012. However, she wrote on her Twitter account, “Thank you but I am extremely under-qualified for the job!”

Ms. Ganeless said she would not comment “on any specific names or conversations” that came up during the search.

She said that Comedy Central’s commitment to “The Nightly Show,” a newly introduced series that follows “The Daily Show” with Larry Wilmore as host, “does not waver,” and that Mr. Stewart remains a producer of that program.

Ms. Ganeless said there had not been “any specific conversations” about what personnel would work with Mr. Noah on “The Daily Show,” but added that “he respects and admires the team there that has built the institution.”

Mr. Noah said he expected to be criticized and second-guessed long before his first episode as host. “We live in a world where some people still say Beyoncé can’t sing,” he said. “Clearly I’m not immune to that.”

But in his conversations with Mr. Stewart, Mr. Noah said that he had found a kindred spirit in a fellow comedian who was not much further along when he came to “The Daily Show.”


“He told me, ‘I was where you were when I took over the show,’ ” Mr. Noah said. “ ‘Nobody knew me. I was just starting out, finding my voice, and that’s when I was handed this seat.’ ”

“Now,” Mr. Noah added, “it’s my turn to steer the ship.”

Trevor Noah Jon Stewart, The latest contributor to "The Daily Show" could end up driving the late-night vehicle once Jon Stewart exits.

In a late-night surprise, Trevor Noah is being considered as a possible replacement to head Comedy Central's anchor show, an insider with knowledge of the search told Variety.

The 31-year-old South African-born comic was recruited by Stewart to join the cast as a contributor in December, but he's quickly moved to the short list of candidates being considered by Comedy Central executives for the top job, Variety reported.

Stewart stunned "Daily Show" fans when he announced Feb. 10 he was stepping down before the end of the year. The 52-year-old known for his cutting satire transformed "The Daily Show" — and his status — into a political kingmaker after replacing Craig Kilborn in 1999.Noah, who is currently on tour in Dubai and Oman, is a well-known TV personality in South Africa. He has appeared on Leno and Letterman, and Showtime aired a comedy special featuring Noah in 2013.