Who Should Replace Trevor Noah? 4 Possible New ‘Daily Show’ Hosts

Yesterday’s shock over news that Trevor Noah is leaving Comedy Central’s The Daily Show seven years after replacing Jon Stewart has turned into speculation today over who might replace the South African comedian.

Occupying one of the premier spots in late night, Noah’s influence has gone far beyond ratings, which are modest by television standards. Clips of Noah’s monologues and interviews on Daily have become viral sensations, and he’s credited with some of the best satiric takes on issues from abortion to racism over the past few years.

Who can fill those shoes? Certainly people had their doubts about Noah when he began (and a big flap about some past tweets that surfaced as he was taking over for Stewart didn’t help), but he established himself as a smart, nuanced voice in late night—something not easy to do with the increased fracturing of TV audiences to streaming.

While Comedy Central has yet to make any type of announcement, and Noah has not even said when his last day hosting the show will be, here are four possibilities to take over.

1. Amber Ruffin

A longtime writer on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers and host of The Amber Ruffin Show on Peacock, Ruffin may be the most obvious replacement for Noah. She’s whip smart, a veteran both in front of and behind the camera, has exceptional comic timing, and tackles tough topics with pathos. She has amassed an impressive roster of guests for her Peacock show, which coincidentally begins streaming season three today. (And bonus points if her executive producer, Jenny Hagel, were to come with Ruffin to Comedy Central—they often appear in segments with Meyers, and they make a fantastic team.)

2. Samantha Bee

The second-most-obvious choice, Bee is a veteran of Daily, serving as a correspondent during the Stewart years. She left to host her own show, Full Frontal With Samantha Bee, on TBS, and the program recently ended its seven-season run. Bee is well-connected, well-respected and a former member of the Comedy Central family, which makes her a likely choice to succeed Noah (and the network will be under pressure to choose a woman, because of the current dearth in late night).

3. Ronny Chieng

A senior correspondent on Daily, Chieng has a gift for merging comedy with cultural criticism. He rose to prominence on Daily with his takedown of Fox News personality Jesse Watters, and he is a native of Malaysia who has used his background to make insightful segments about Asian Americans while also covering other topics. He’s had two recent comedy specials and, if he doesn’t get this gig, is definitely someone to watch regardless. Chieng would be the first Asian late night host on a major network.

4. Roy Wood Jr.

Also a current Daily Show correspondent, Wood has exceptional reporting skills, honed from a background in journalism during college and beyond, and a fantastic delivery style. He would nail the faux news anchor presence that inspired Daily Show back in the ‘90s. His acting roles have given him an unmatched stage presence, and he excels at honing in on cultural moments ripe for satire, such as the Popeye’s chicken sandwich hype in 2019.