Roy Wood Jr. wonât return to âDaily Showâ as host search drags on
Roy Wood Jr. has been a big part of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” – maybe big enough to become its next host – but he says you won’t see him when new episodes air later this month.
NPR’s “Morning Edition” reported on Wood’s decision on Thursday.
“The show’s been looking for a new permanent host since Trevor Noah left the job late last year,” reported NPR’s Eric Duggans, who spoke with Wood on Wednesday. “The writers’ strike shut down the show in May and that likely delayed the search. … Wood has decided he doesn’t want to work on the show as a correspondent if someone else will be the permanent host. He’d rather use the time to figure out what he’s going to do next.”
In an audio clip, Wood said: “There’s no sense in me doing what I’ve been doing for the last eight years while concurrently trying to think of a new thing to do. The job of correspondent, it’s not really one where you can really juggle multiple things. And I think after eight years I’ve earned the right to take a quick break before January.”
Duggans said that he’d asked Comedy Central for comment. He received a statement that described Wood as “a comedic genius and beloved teammate” and said Comedy Central was eager to see what he does next.
Wood told Duggans that should he be offered the permanent host job, he would have to stop and think about it. “I think the next question becomes, what does ‘The Daily Show’ look like in 2024?” Wood said. “What does late night look like? That is a huge question that I believe personally has to be answered.”
Duggans said Wood expressed gratitude for the opportunities Comedy Central had given him. He speculated that Wood might be looking for a way to “bring forward his own vision in a way that might be different than what we’re seeing in current shows.”
Wood, who grew up in Birmingham, served as guest host of the show in April, amid speculation he had a serious shot at becoming permanent host. The same month, he delivered a widely praised performance as featured entertainer at the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C.
READ:
Roy Wood Jr.’s 10 best jokes at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner
Roy Wood Jr., ‘dude who loves food,’ on 6 must-have dishes in Birmingham