Jon Stewart’s Apple TV+ Series Abruptly Canceled After Disagreements Between Comedian and Tech Giant Over China and A.I. Coverage: Report

It looks like Jon Stewart‘s show on Apple TV+ will not be returning for a third season. According to a new report from the New York Times, the talk show host decided to amicably part ways with the streamer as a result of creative differences.

Multiple sources revealed to the outlet that The Problem with Jon Stewart was set to begin taping for Season 3 within weeks. However, Stewart reportedly told his staff on Thursday (Oct. 19) that Apple executives were concerned over a range of “potential show topics” he wanted to cover in the upcoming season, including China and artificial intelligence. With the 2024 election coming up, another source claimed there was “potential for further creative disagreements.”

Because both sides needed to be “aligned” with one another when it came to material, sources told The Hollywood Reporter that Stewart, who wanted full creative control, was against the idea of being “hamstrung” by Apple, which allegedly threatened to cancel the series.

Decider has reached out to reps for the show, but did not hear back by the time of publication.

The Problem with Jon Stewart first premiered in 2021 following a multi-year deal with Apple TV+. While Season 1 got off to a slow start airing episodes every two weeks, the series began to gain traction by Season 2, which was switched to a weekly format. The show covered a variety of current events, from gun control and climate change, to racism and mass incarceration.

Moreover, it marked Stewart’s first return to television after a six-year hiatus. He previously hosted The Daily Show on Comedy Central for 16 years from 1999 to 2015, before passing the torch to Trevor Noah, who left the gig in late 2022.

“For the first few months after leaving the show, I was a little Forrest Gump-y. Just out in the world like, ‘How? What? You don’t need to swipe the card? You just hold it up and suddenly the groceries are yours? Impossible!,'” he told Savannah Guthrie ahead of The Problem’s release. “Even just being able to pick the kids up from school and driving home and listening to the conversation in the back.”

He added, “I think that informed how I went back to doing another television show. I believe they refer to it as balance.”