revor Noah, who first debuted on “The Daily Show” as a correspondent in December, is to replace Jon Stewart as the show’s new host. “You don’t believe it for the first few hours,” Noah told the New York Times ahead of Monday’s official announcement from Dubai. “You need a stiff drink, and then unfortunately you’re in a place where you can’t really get alcohol.”

The 31-year-old comedian from South Africa has only appeared on the show three times. In February, Stewart broke the news he would be exiting from the Comedy Central show after more than 15 years on air. The network confirmed the news in astatement below:

Trevor Noah has been selected to become the next host of the Emmy® and Peabody® Award-winning The Daily Show.

Noah joined The Daily Show in 2014 as a contributor. He made his U.S. television debut in 2012 on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and has also appeared on Late Show with David Letterman, becoming the first South African stand-up comedian to appear on either late night show. Noah has hosted numerous television shows including his own late night talk show in his native country, Tonight with Trevor Noah.

He was featured on the October 2014 cover of GQ South Africa and has been profiled in Rolling Stone, Newsweek and The Wall Street Journal, and by CNN and NPR’s Talk of the Nation, among others. He continues to tour all over the world and has performed in front of sold out crowds at the Hammersmith Apollo in London and the Sydney Opera House in Australia.

Here is his Daily Show debut: