It’s The Daily Show with… well, we’re still not sure. Nearly a year after Trevor Noah signed off the iconic fake news program, there’s still no one lined up to replace him. Replacing longtime hosts for iconic game and talk shows is never an easy task, but The Daily Show is unique in its case.

Typically, when a show cycles through multiple guest hosts without settling on a successor, that means the previous emcee abruptly left the job. However, Trevor Noah gave his departure notice months in advance, announcing it in September 2022 before walking away in December. While that’s not as long as other hosts like David Letterman or Jay Leno, who each gave about a year of notice, it’s still enough time to pick a successor.

Instead, Comedy Central has relied on guest hosts for the entirety of 2023, intending to name a permanent replacement early next year. Maybe they just want to take their time with picking the right person? But with an entire team of correspondents at the ready who all have extensive on-screen experience, there would be no real need to scout for outside talent. Let’s look at why it’s taken so long to name a host and who might eventually sit in the anchor’s chair.

The Hosts and History
Comedy Central

The Daily Show is the longest-running original series in Comedy Central’s history. It first debuted in July 1996 with Craig Kilborn at the helm. Jon Stewart took over in January 1999, making the show into the comedic yet still informative powerhouse that it is today. The Daily Show was especially significant in that it gave the then-young cable network Comedy Central a hold in the late-night talk show market, which had historically been dominated by broadcast networks.

After leading the show to several award wins and nominations, Jon Stewart stepped away in August 2015. New host Trevor Noah took over that September, holding down the desk until his own departure in December 2022. Noah had announced his exit roughly two months before, in September 2022. The early warning should have given the network enough time to review successor candidates. Stewart revealed his exit six months early in February 2015. By the end of March that year, Noah had already been named the new head. So why the delay this time around?

Related: The Daily Show: A New Anchor Changes How We See Comedy and News

We saw a similar revolving door of guest hosts on Jeopardy! in 2021. Leading man Alex Trebek passed away suddenly with no clear replacement in mind. The show cycled through guests for months before eventually giving the job to then-EP Mike Richards, who lasted all of one day in the role. The job was then passed to legendary contestant Ken Jennings and previous guest host Mayim Bialik on a rotating basis.

Guest Hosts: Who Could Take Over?
Paramount

Here, Noah clearly did not die nor leave the show abruptly. Yet Comedy Central still chose to begin 2023 with a series of guest hosts. Leslie Jones was the first, and subsequent guests included Wanda Sykes, Sarah Silverman, Kal Penn, Al Franken, Chelsea Handler, and many others. Each of the show’s correspondents was also given their turn at the desk (with a five-month break in the summer due to the WGA strike). The show returned in October with correspondent Michael Kosta hosting.

Further guest hosts this fall include Desus Nice, Charlemagne tha God, Michelle Wolf, and return appearances by Leslie Jones and Sarah Silverman. The correspondents are also set to lead a “News Team Takeover” week in November, which they host as a collective. A new host is then slated to begin in 2024.

Related: Jon Stewart Returns to The Daily Show with Surprise Appearance

From the beginning, it’s been implied that the new host will be one or more of the correspondents. Noah was a correspondent when he was promoted to host. Desi Lydic and Roy Wood, Jr. were floated as a possible hosting duo, though that’s now increasingly unlikely due to Wood’s departure. The fan-favorite pick was reportedly troubled with the delay in naming a host, though he hasn’t ruled out a return if he’s offered the gig.

Over the summer, Hasan Minhaj emerged as Comedy Central’s top pick to take over. However, the September 2023 revelations that he fabricated several life events derailed his chances. The show is also considering hiring from outside the news team, as Kal Penn and Leslie Jones’ names have also circulated.

In all likelihood, Comedy Central wants to try out as many different hosts as possible to find the exact right person for the job. Trevor Noah had his fair share of fans and detractors, though filling Jon Stewart’s shoes was always going to be a mammoth task. Though not having a face for the show can be frustrating for both the audience and crew, this could be a good thing in the long run. We’ve seen multiple new opinions and viewpoints offered on one of TV’s most iconic late-night talk shows. So, let’s see who finally gets the gig.