Smallscreen News

Jon Stewart to take hiatus from TV, directs film

By April Neale Mar 6, 2013, 14:21 GMT

Jon Stewart - Nokia Theatre L.A. Live - Los Angeles, CA, USA © Andrew Evans / PR Photos

Jon Stewart will take a temporary leave of Comedy Central's top series, "The Daily Show" to pursue work in film.

Stewart, who has worked at his TV post for 14 years, will take 12 weeks off during the summer, starting in June. Subbing for him will be 'Daily Show' correspondent John Oliver. The series tapes and airs original episodes Monday through Thursday.

The Tri-State faux news pundit (who has occasionally acted in films) will take a break to make his feature directorial debut with "Rosewater."

Stewart wrote the screenplay for the adaptation of BBC journalist Maziar Bahari's New York Times best-selling memoir Then They Came for Me: A Family’s Story of Love, Captivity and Survival.

Bahari's book tells the story of his 2009 arrest by the Iranian government while covering an election protest. He subsequently was interrogated and tortured during the next 118 days.

According to Variety, OddLot Entertainment will produce and finance the feature, with Stewart, Gigi Pritzker and Scott Rudin producing. Eli Bush will executive produce.

The Daily Show took their 10th consecutive Emmy last year for best variety series.

Stewart has previously appeared as an actor in "Big Daddy," "Playing by Heart," "The Faculty" and "Half Baked."