Jon Stewart says his Apple TV+ show was canceled so he didn't 'say things that might get me in trouble'

Stewart returns to "The Daily Show" tonight.

Jon Stewart returns to The Daily Show tonight. But part of that move was the cancellation of his Apple TV+ show, The Problem With Jon Stewart.

Stewart appeared on CBS Mornings on Monday to discuss (in somewhat vague terms) why he's returning to the show he anchored from 1999 to 2015. “I very much wanted some kind of place to unload thoughts as we get into this election season,” Stewart said. “I thought I was going to do it over at — they call it Apple TV+ — it’s a television enclave, very small. It’s like living in Malibu. But they decided … they felt that they didn’t want me to say things that might get me in trouble.”

The Problem started in 2021 with biweekly episodes and increased the frequency to weekly episodes in its second season. Like his fellow Daily Show alum John Oliver's Last Week Tonight, The Problem With Jon Stewart largely focused on a single topic in each episode.

Despite being the most-viewed unscripted series on the network after its debut, the show was reportedly canceled last fall. The New York Times reported at the time that The Problem's cancellation was influenced by disagreements between Stewart and Apple about the topics that would be covered in a third season, such as A.I. and China.

Apple CEO Tim Cook was questioned by a special committee of the U.S. House of Representatives about that report. A letter from the committee said companies have the right to determine what is appropriate for their service, but that "coercive tactics of a foreign power should not be directly or indirectly influencing these determinations." Stewart's statement doesn't tip his hand on whether episodes of that nature might have impacted his departure.

Going forward, Stewart won't be the full-time host of The Daily Show. He'll be sitting in the host chair every Monday — beginning Feb. 12 — through the end of the 2024 election cycle. He will also serve as an executive producer. "Who better to comment on this election than someone who truly understands two aging men past their prime?" Stewart said of getting back behind the desk. "Look at me, baby."

The Daily Show airs weeknights at 11 p.m. ET/PT on Comedy Central and streams the next day on Paramount+.

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