John Oliver leaves 'Daily Show' to host weekly HBO series

Nov. 15 (UPI) -- John Oliver was a smash when he stepped in over the summer hosting The Daily Show while regular host Jon Stewart was away directing a film, and now the British comedian is getting a show of his own.

But while Comedy Central may have given him his spotlight, it's premium cable channel HBO he signed with.

The company announced Thursday that Oliver will host a topical series that takes a satirical look at the week's news, set to air on Sunday nights.

His time as a Daily Show correspondent, which began in 2006, has raised his profile in the U.S. and proven he can joke about current events with the best of them.

And his wildly popular stint behind the desk -- when he retained the program's full audience -- raised his profile even further.

“We weren’t otherwise searching for another weekly talk show, but when we saw John Oliver handling host duties on The Daily Show, we knew that his singular perspective and distinct voice belonged on HBO,” said HBO Programming President Michael Lombardo, referring to Real Time with Bill Maher.

"I’m incredibly excited to be joining HBO, especially as I presume this means I get free HBO now," Oliver joked in a statement. "I want to thank Comedy Central, and everyone at The Daily Show for the best seven and a half years of my life. But most of all, I’d like to thank Jon Stewart. He taught me everything I know. In fact, if I fail in the future, it’s entirely his fault."

[Hollywood Reporter]