South African comedian Trevor Noah to replace Jon Stewart on The Daily Show

South African comedian Trevor Noah, a relative newcomer to US television, has been selected to replace Jon Stewart on the long-running parody newscast The Daily Show, the New York Times reported on Monday.

Speculation has run like wildfire since Stewart announced last month he would be stepping down as host after 15 years.

The news comes as a curve-ball for many, with Noah one of the newest additions to the Comedy Central show’s team. Since joining in December the 31-year-old has appeared in just three segments on the show, which screens regularly in the UAE on OSN Comedy.

"No one can replace Jon Stewart," the 31-year-old Noah wrote on his Facebook page after the news broke. "But together with the amazing team at The Daily Show, we will continue to make this the best damn news show!"

It's likely the decision will be well-received in the UAE, where Noah has been something of a regular visitor of late, having performed three stints at Ductac in the past 12 months. The most recent three-night run ended on March 28, and Noah was still in Dubai when the Times reached him about the news.

Stewart, 52, who has starred on the satirical show since 1999, announced last month that he was leaving his job, but gave no specific plans for his next career move.

Everyone from Tina Fey to Jason Jones has been associated with the position, while the public at large has been left to draw up an increasingly unrealistic wish-list.

In an interview with the Times, Noah said his new job presented both an opportunity and a challenge.

Stewart, in a statement, told the newspaper he is “thrilled” for Noah and the show: “He’s a tremendous comic and talent that we’ve loved working with.”

Comedy Central told the Times that the exact time for Stewart's departure has not been decided. The channel was expected to make an official announcement later on Monday.

*With files from Rob Garratt

rgarratt@thenational.ae