HBO has announced the return dates for both Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and Real Time with Bill Maher. John Oliver will lead the way by returning on Sunday, March 29, 2020 at 11 p.m. Bill Maher will return the following Friday on April 3, 2020 at 10 p.m. However, both will be taping from their respective homes.
Previously, John Oliver had scheduled to take a hiatus last week. Prior to the hiatus, the show was forced out of its usual studio because of the ongoing pandemic. Instead, they shot their most recent show from a different studio without an audience.
There’s no new show tonight, so we’re repeating last week’s episode, which is still… y’know… pretty relevant. Will we be back next week? We hope so! We’re trying our hardest! Can you hear that? It’s us, knocking on wood!
— Last Week Tonight (@LastWeekTonight) March 23, 2020
On Sunday, Oliver tweeted, “There’s no new show tonight, so we’re repeating last week’s episode, which is still… y’know… pretty relevant.”
“Will we be back next week? We hope so! We’re trying our hardest! Can you hear that? It’s us, knocking on wood,” he continued.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken up much of the late-night show environment. Comedy Central began filming The Daily Show from a home environment beginning on Monday. Full Frontal With Samantha Bee and Conan also made similar moves. Other shows like Showtime’s Desus & Mero have not yet issued a decision on whether they will continue to shoot episodes during the pandemic.
