John Oliver's answer to the question “Where were you when you learned that Jon Stewart was returning to The Daily Show as host?” is at a guest appearance on NBC's Today Show.

Host Willie Geist kinda sorta broke the news to Oliver. The multiple-Emmy winning Oliver said he was “surprised”, but said that he's excited “to see what he does.” He added with barely suppressed giddiness, “and in an election year.”

Comedy Central revealed earlier that Stewart was returning as The Daily Show's Monday night host through this election. The show's correspondents will handle the other days.

This certainly wasn't what I envisioned when I said that the show should make use of their own correspondents instead of celebrity guests.

The Last Week Tonight host even agreed with me. Oliver is behind making former correspondent Roy Wood Jr., who left the show last year, or Amber Ruffin, the permanent host.

The Return of Jon Stewart

Going back to Stewart's return to his old stomping grounds, Oliver said, “That’s a show that needs a host. He certainly is a very, very good one. So yeah, it’ll be exciting to see what he does. I do think after 2025 they should appoint a permanent host. I would have hired Roy Wood or Amber Ruffin is very good but it’s going to be very exciting to see Jon in an election year.”

As for Stewart, his Apple TV+ show The Problem with Jon Stewart was canceled late last year. Sources cited creative differences with the tech giant. The show's third season was supposed start production weeks after news of the cancellation was announced.

When he left The Daily Show in 2015, he was a frequent guest of former TDS correspondent and longtime friend Stephen Colbert on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Oliver, on the other hand, was The Daily Show correspondent from 2006 to 2013 and often credits Stewart for giving his big break. Before he left the show, he spent time in the host's chair to sub for his boss who was off making a movie in the desert.

He then went on to host his own show, picking up 15 Emmys along the way.

As for his former boss' return, Oliver had this to say: “Jordan's back.”