On the publication of his first children’s book, the comedian and presenter answers pithy questions from Louis Theroux, Susie Dent and more on Trump, his mother and what makes a great rollercoaster

In 2015, the South African comedian Trevor Noah was plucked from relative obscurity to succeed Jon Stewart as the host of The Daily Show. On its face this seemed an unenviable task; Stewart had hosted for 16 years and it seemed unclear what the show would even be independent of his liberal bona fides and New York sensibility. But Noah’s wit and insight quickly made him a darling of the US left and by bringing an outsider’s perspective – both as a Black man and a recent immigrant – to late-night TV, Noah successfully pushed the show into the social media age.

Since departing in 2022, Noah has kept busy, launching a podcast, hosting the Grammys, and winning the prestigious Erasmus prize in 2023. He’s now publishing his first children’s book, Into the Uncut Grass. A spiritual successor to his bestselling memoir, Born a Crime, it’s a coming-of-age story written in the shadow of the last days of apartheid. He sat down for a grilling about his inspiration, influences and creative process from a gaggle of fellow authors.