5 reasons why 'The Daily Show' is safe in John Oliver's hands

John Oliver, the wry and bitingly witty British "Daily Show" correspondent, is set to begin his tenure tonight as the show's anchor, with Jon Stewart venturing off for the summer to direct his first film, "Rosewater."

Oliver, 36, is a natural choice: His seven years of experience at the show have imbued him with an unmatched level of comfort and ease with the format, and he delivers more consistently hilarious bits more than any other correspondent.

Here are five reasons why "The Daily Show" will be in good hands for the next 12 weeks:

1. He's here to stay

A gig as a correspondent on the show is often a jumping-off point (think Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Olivia Munn, Ed Helms, Mo Rocca, etc.), but as one of the longest-running correspondents, Oliver seems like he has found a home.

2. He's experienced

Oliver has written for, produced and performed on the show, making him so well-rounded that he was "the obvious choice" to fill in, executive producer Rory Albanese told the LA Times last week.

3. He's sharp

Between his gig on the show, Oliver hosts a podcast and performs stand-up. And did we mention he went to Cambridge University?

4. He can play the Mean British Guy

Oliver often berates and bewilders his interview subjects -- making for some of the most hilarious sketches on the show -- and we can't wait to see him unleashed nightly.

5. He's endearingly genuine and humble

Some of Stewart's best moments have come when he tackles a serious subject with earnestness, and Oliver has shown that he shares that ability to squeeze in a drop of sincerity when a story needs it.

“The Daily Show” airs Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central at 11 p.m.