HBO has poached John Oliver from “The Daily Show” to host his own weekly topical comedy series on the network starting next year.
The show, which will air on Sunday nights, will present “a satirical look at the week in news, politics and current events,” according to the announcement.
Oliver had a well-reviewed run filling in for “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart last summer while Stewart took leave to direct a film. During his 10-week tenure, the British comedian kept ratings for the Comedy Central late-night show relatively unchanged while winning raves from critics — and evidently, HBO.
“We weren’t otherwise searching for another weekly talk show, but when we saw John Oliver handling host duties on ‘The Daily Show,’ we knew that his singular perspective and distinct voice belonged on HBO,” said HBO programming president Michael Lombardo in a statement.
Oliver had been a correspondent on “The Daily Show” since 2006 and has hosted “John Oliver’s New York Stand Up Show” for four seasons on Comedy Central.
While Oliver’s guest-hosting run at “The Daily Show” was successful, the promotion was always to be temporary — Stewart is signed to host through mid-2015.