Jon Stewart, the host of
Comedy Central's The Daily Show, will step down later this year, the
president of the network has confirmed.
"His comedic brilliance is second to none," said Michele Ganeless in a statement.Stewart, who began hosting the show in 1999, will remain there until later in 2015, she said.
"He is a comic genius, generous with his time and talent, and will always be a part of the Comedy Central family."
In 2013, he took time out to direct a film, Rosewater, about an Iranian-born journalist who was imprisoned and accused of spying.
His departure comes after the network lost another major comedy figure, Stephen Colbert, who left to take over David Letterman's late night show on CBS.
Like the evening news shows of yore, The Daily Show has become appointment viewing, though many people catch it afterwards online, where Stewart's riffs often become viral sensations and also enjoy a long afterlife.
Part of his appeal has come from launching stinging critiques about the sensationalist tendencies of modern-day American TV news, with the cable networks Fox News and CNN among his favourite targets.
A much-quoted online poll once showed that 44% of respondents looked upon him as the best source for trustworthy news.
In that same poll Brian Williams scored 29% - a trustworthiness ranking that the suspended NBC News anchor would probably be happy with today.
It's a fluke of timing that Stewart has announced his departure on the same night that Williams has been reprimanded by NBC News. But it underscores how late-night comedians have in some ways usurped primetime anchors, especially for the online generation.
There was humour when
President Obama appeared on The Daily Show in October 2012, but also
serious questions about the Benghazi attack on US diplomats
Stewart's show has often been cited as a leading news source for young people, with an average audience of one million viewers.His targets - and his guests - have been politicians and public figures, addressed in tones that are often indignant, or teasing.
The Daily Show has also been a launch pad for several well-known comic performers, including Steve Carell and John Oliver, as well as Colbert.
Comedy Central did not say what Stewart was planning to do next, or who would replace him.
In an interview with US broadcaster NPR in November, Stewart admitted that he had considered leaving The Daily Show.
"You can't just stay in the same place because it feels like you've built a nice house there, and that's really the thing I struggle with," he said.
"It is unclear to me... The minute I say I am not going to do it any more, I will miss it like crazy."