Jon Stewart return drives highest ‘Daily Show’ ratings in almost six years

Comedian Jon Stewart’s return to Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” earned the show its highest ratings in more than half a decade.

Stewart’s return to the program netted the network 930,000 total viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research data, the most to watch the late-night basic cable program since 2018.

However, Monday’s “Daily Show” ranked well behind the more than 2 million people who watched “Gutfeld” on Fox News, the top-rated late-night show for several quarters running.

Stewart’s return to Comedy Central had been buzzed about for weeks, and his monologue on the upcoming presidential election received mixed reviews on Tuesday.

During his first show back, the satirist took shots at President Biden and former President Trump, mocking the two men over voter concerns about their age and fitness for office.

“I just thought who better to comment on this election than someone who truly understands two aging men past their prime?” Stewart said during an interview this week about his return. “I’m hoping to have a catharsis, and a way to comment on things and a way to express them that hopefully people will enjoy.”