Jon Stewart Replacement: John Oliver Takes Over 'Daily Show' (VIDEO)
Jon Stewart will be replaced this June on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" by English comedian John Oliver.
Oliver will serve as Stewart's replacement while the television host and political satirist takes times of to direct his first movie, reports said on Thursday. Titled "Rosewater," the film will take on a more serious tone and is based on a screenplay that was written by Stewart. His work on the film will require a 12-week absence.
In the meantime. Oliver, who plays a recurring character on the television series "Community," will be taking Stewart's place. Oliver already has a history with the company. He joined the "Daily Show" as a Senior British Correspondent in July 2006.
During Stewart's absence, Oliver will man "The Daily Show" with guests Seth Rogen (June 10), Armando Iannucci (June 11) and Fareed Zakaria (June 13) in his first week, a Fox News report claimed. Mavis Staples will also perform on June 12.
"Just so you know, from June 10th I'm going to be hosting the Daily Show for a couple of months, while Jon Stewart directs a movie," Oliver wrote on his Twitter account. "Don't worry, it's still going to be everything that you love about 'The Daily Show,' just without the thing that you love the most about it."
For his part, Stewart has previously admitted that working on a new film appears to be a daunting project.
"I am a television person who is accustomed to having a thought at 10 a.m. and having it out there at 6:30 p.m. and moving on, so this is a little scary, yes," Stewart told The New York Times during a March interview.
The screenplay is an adaptation of the 2011 book "Then They Came for Me: A Family's Story of Love, Captivity and Survival," by Maziar Bahari and Aimee Molloy.