Trevor Noah, who left The Daily Show after seven years in December, is returning to TV.
Noah will officially work behind the scenes this time and executive produce an American version of Britain’s popular Mock the Week, a topical panel show that pits two teams of comedians and celebrities against each other to satirize national news and global events.
Panel shows are quite popular in the UK and have seen nationally beloved satirists like Jimmy Carr, Rob Brydon and David Mitchell hilariously debate everything under the British sun. Noah believes the US could use some of that levity to brighten the American climate.
“Two things I’m most passionate about in life are paying my landlord and making people laugh,” said Noah in a Monday’s news release from Amazon Freevee, which is producing. “We could all use a little bit more laughter as we continue to navigate today’s crazy world.”
“By bringing Mock the Week to America with the talented Dan Patterson, I’m looking forward to doing just that,” he continued.
According to Deadline, Patterson created the original series — and the internationally beloved improv show Whose Line Is It Anyway? — with Mark Leveson in 2005. It was canceled after 17 years. The US version will hit Freevee, a former IMDb channel, in 2024.
“After 21 successful seasons on the BBC, we can’t wait to bring the format to the U.S. and work with America’s deep pool of brilliant comedians,” said Patterson in Monday’s news release, which did not reveal who would host the show’s upcoming iteration.
Noah famously exited The Daily Show after taking the reins from Jon Stewart in 2015. Comedy Central announced in October that his final episode would air on Dec. 8, when Noah delivered a teary-eyed tribute to the Black women who made him who he is today.
For Lauren Anderson, head of original, unscripted and targeted programming for Amazon’s Prime Video and Freevee platforms, Noah and Patterson will bring the best of both worlds — from mining the news to giving comedians free rein to trounce it — to the table.
“For years, Mock the Week delivered a witty spin on the news — entertaining a broad cross-section of the UK audience through funny conversations, one-liners, and improv comedy,” Anderson said.
“In one episode, you can catch up on weekly headlines, hear multiple points of view on a topic, and find your next favorite stand-up comedian,” she continued. “We are thrilled to expand our comedic slate on Amazon Freevee, with ... two enormously talented producers.”