LOS ANGELES (Reuters) — Former "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart will host and produce a new current affairs series for Apple Inc's AAPL.O streaming television service, the company announced on Tuesday.

The multiseason series on Apple TV+ will bring the comedian back to TV on a regular basis for the first time since he ended his Emmy-winning run as host of "The Daily Show" in 2015.

No debut date for the untitled series was announced. Apple said in a statement that each one-hour episode would address a single issue and explore topics related to current events and Stewart's advocacy work.

The issues also will be discussed in a companion podcast, the company said.

Stewart's irreverent brand of political and media satire made him a beloved figure on television with influence far beyond the 2 to 3 million nightly audience of "The Daily Show" on Comedy Central.

Since leaving the "Daily Show," Stewart has appeared occasionally on talk shows and this year released a political comedy film called "Irresistible" that he wrote and directed.

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He also has advocated for wounded veterans and for health care benefits for first responders who became ill after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. He and his wife, Tracey, opened a farm sanctuary in New Jersey.

Stewart's new series is part of a multiyear agreement with Apple to develop and produce projects for Apple TV+, a $5-a-month competitor to subscription video services from companies such as Netflix Inc. and Walt Disney Co.

In 2015, Stewart had signed a deal with AT&T Inc's T.N HBO network for a short-form animated series for digital platforms, but that project was scrapped.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Marguerita Choy)

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