The comedian announced the news during Thursday’s episode of the Comedy Central late-night series. He debuted as host in Sept. 28, 2015, following the departure of Jon Stewart, who had previously made the show a go-to for water-cooler conversation and must-see moments with his biting take on political debate and current events. “I realized after the seven years, my time is up, but in the most beautiful way,” Noah told the audience Thursday. “I’ve loved hosting this show. It’s been one of my greatest challenges. It’s been one of my greatest joys. I’ve loved trying to figure out how to make people laugh even when the stories are particularly shitty on the worst days.” Noah’s star has continued to rise since starting on The Daily Show, which initially featured host Craig Kilborn when co-creators Madeleine Smithberg and Lizz Winstead launched the show in 1996. He emceed the White House Correspondents Dinner in April, the same month in which he marked his second consecutive appearance as host of the Grammy Awards. He is also a best-selling author, with a cadre of entertainment projects in various stages of development.