Jon Stewart will return to "The Daily Show" as its executive producer and host on Monday evenings beginning Feb. 12 through the 2024 election cycle, Paramount announced Wednesday.

Why it matters: It marks a historic reunion between Paramount's Comedy Central — which has aired "The Daily Show" since 1996 — and Stewart, who put the show on the map as host from 1999 to 2015.

Be smart: The announcement brings a consistent and popular face to the program, which has been without a permanent host since Trevor Noah — who replaced Stewart in 2015 — announced he was leaving in 2022.

Details: The show will continue to air Monday through Thursday at 11pm ET. It will continue to rely on a rotating team of correspondents for hosting the other three days of the week, Paramount said.

• Stewart will be the executive producer of every episode this year and next, but he will only host on Mondays through the election, Paramount said.
• Mondays are the most-watched day during the week and will serve as a platform for Stewart to catch audiences up on news that broke between Thursday and Sunday.

The big picture: Stewart's return marks a seminal moment for the program, which — like every other late-night comedy program — has struggled to retain viewers in the streaming era.

• Under Stewart, the show launched other talent, including current and former late-night hosts including Noah, Stephen Colbert and Samantha Bee.
• Stewart hosted and served as executive producer of the show for more than a decade, during which he transformed the comedy series into a cultural and political phenomenon.
• Since leaving "The Daily Show," Stewart has taken on various projects, including launching his own comedy show, 'The Problem With Jon Stewart" on Apple TV+. "The Problem" ended late last year after Stewart and Apple executives parted ways over creative differences, the New York Times reported.