Jon Stewart to add 'The Weekly Show' to his duties

Jon Stewart is adding "The Weekly Show" to his "The Daily Show" duties, launching a new Comedy Central podcast.

"The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart," poised to premiere early next month, will feature the host and comedian "as he dives into the most critical topics across current events," MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Audio announced Thursday.

The once-a-week program will count newsmakers, authors and celebrities among its guests. 

“After much reflection, meditation, and prayer, I have decided to extend my work week to two days,” Stewart said in a statement.

Stewart made headlines in February when he returned as a part-time host and executive producer of "The Daily Show," sitting behind the anchor desk on Monday nights. A rotating line-up of hosts takes the reins at the Comedy Central show on other weekdays. 

The 61-year-old's TV homecoming — he originally hosted the show for 16 years before stepping down in 2015 — turned out to be a ratings win, netting "The Daily Show" its highest viewership numbers in nearly six years. 

In an announcement about the forthcoming podcast, Chris McCarthy, the president and CEO of Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios, called Stewart's return to "The Daily Show" a "powerful reminder of why he's the voice of our generation and so critical to the national conversation."

The podcast, McCarthy said, will allow Stewart to "delve even deeper into complex issues and make sense of it all for us through his razor-sharp wit and indelible humor."

The Stewart podcast will be available across all major platforms.