Trevor Noah is leaving ‘The Daily Show’

The Daily Show host Trevor Noah has announced that he is stepping down from the presenter’s desk.

In a video statement shared on Twitter on Thursday, Noah said that after seven years as the host of the satirical news show Comedy Central, his “time is up.”

Keep scrolling for a photo gallery of Trevor Noah’s run on The Daily Show

“It was absolutely amazing. It’s something I never expected,” Noah said of his experience hosting the show. “I’ve been thinking about everything we’ve been through the whole time. The Trump presidency, the pandemic, just the trip, more pandemics, and I realize that after the seven years, my time is up.”

Noah, a standup comedian from South Africa, was a relative newcomer to American audiences when he was named host of The Daily Show after Jon Stewart signed off in 2015.

“I want to thank you, you who saw this,” Noah said. “I never thought I would be here. I kinda feel like ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. I came here to see the previous show and next thing I was handed the keys.”

Noah hinted that his decision to leave the show was rooted in his desire to return to more standup work.

“I spent two years in my apartment, not on the street, and once I got back out there, I realized there was another part of my life out there that I want to explore further. I miss learning other languages. I miss going to other countries and doing shows,” Noah said.

He thanked his viewers, the team at The Daily Show and Comedy Central, “for believing in this random comedian that no one on this side of the world knew.”

“I loved hosting this show, it was one of my greatest challenges and one of my greatest joys,” Noah said. “I loved finding a way to make people laugh, even when the stories are particularly crappy, even on the worst of days. We laughed together, we cried together.”

He didn’t share when his last show would be, but said he’d be there for a while.

“Don’t worry, I’m not leaving,” Noah said. “If I owe you money, I’ll still pay you.”