Will Trevor Noah Live Up To The Hype During Monday’s ‘Daily Show’ Premiere?

Jon Stewart’s successor has a big chair to fill.

Trevor Noah will officially take to the airwaves as host of "The Daily Show" on Monday night in one of the most anticipated late-night show ascensions of the year.

Noah has been the subject of wide speculation since it was announced he'd replace Jon Stewart earlier this year. Many are wondering just what kind of host he'll be and if the program will have as much grit as it did under Stewart's tenure.

The 31-year-old South African and his team have held four test shows over the past two weeks, which he's called "crucially important" to the program's development, according to The New York Times. But the outlet's Dave Itzkoff notes Noah's version of the mock news show will be "a substantially different program, based simply on the man now sitting in its anchor’s chair."

Matt Sayles/Invision/AP

The comedian will have his hands full with cultural commentary, fed by the ongoing political circus that is the 2016 election cycle. Other substantive events including Pope Francis' recent visit have made their way into his opening lampoon, and executive producer Steve Bodow told the Los Angeles Times that Noah's been a "quick study" in American politics.

But of course, Noah's "Daily Show" has already attracted some harsh opinions. An article in Slate says Monday's premiere "will drive home the fact that we have lost Jon Stewart" and could be "bad for America." Another in Bloomberg questions whether he'll ever be able to "escape" Stewart's legacy.

Will he be able to captivate and commentate like his predecessor? Only time will tell, but Noah said he's ready for his "first date with the 'Daily Show' audience."

"We’re going to spend that first episode really getting to know each other," he told Vulture. "And the best way to get to know each other on any date is to talk about things, and figure out how you feel about each other."

"The Daily Show" with Trevor Noah premieres Sept. 28, at 11 p.m. ET on Comedy Central.

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