Rise to Success: Career Highlights of John Oliver
Discover the career path of John Oliver, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
John Oliver is a British-American comedian best known as the host of HBO's Last Week Tonight. His career began in the UK as a stand-up comedian, before gaining prominence as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He won three Primetime Emmy Awards for his writing on The Daily Show and guest-hosted the show in 2013. Additionally, he co-hosted the podcast The Bugle and hosted John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show. Oliver also has acting credits, including a role in the sitcom Community and voice work in animated films like The Smurfs and The Lion King.
1985: First On-Screen Appearance
In 1985, John Oliver made his first on-screen appearance in the BBC drama Bleak House, playing a minor role as Felix Pardiggle.
1997: Vice President of Cambridge Footlights
In 1997, John Oliver became the vice president of the Cambridge Footlights comedy club, marking an important step in his early comedy career.
2001: Appearance in People Like Us
In 2001, John Oliver appeared as a bank manager in series two of People Like Us, showcasing his early acting roles.
2001: Guest Starred in My Hero
In 2001, John Oliver guest-starred in the TV show My Hero as a man from the BBC, marking one of his early TV appearances.
2001: Stand-Up at Edinburgh Festival Fringe
In 2001, John Oliver had his first major stand-up appearance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as part of The Comedy Zone, playing an "oleaginous journalist".
2002: Worked on The State We're In
From 2002, John Oliver worked on the BBC Three comedy series The State We're In, alongside Anita Rani, Jon Holmes, and Robin Ince, showcasing his early television work.
2002: Debut Solo Show
In 2002, John Oliver presented his debut solo show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, marking a significant step in his stand-up career.
2003: Manning the "results desk" on Gash
In 2003, John Oliver manned the "results desk" on an election night episode of Armando Iannucci's satirical show Gash on Channel 4.
2004: Double Act and Co-Hosted Political Animal
In 2004, John Oliver began performing in a double act and co-hosting the political radio show Political Animal with Andy Zaltzman.
2004: Guest Starred in Green Wing
In 2004, John Oliver guest-starred in Green Wing as a car salesman, showcasing his versatility in different roles.
2004: Wrote and Performed in The Department
In 2004, John Oliver wrote and performed in the satirical radio programme The Department on BBC Radio 4 with Andy Zaltzman and Chris Addison.
June 2005: Appeared on Mock the Week
Starting in June 2005, John Oliver made appearances on British television as a panellist on the satirical news show Mock the Week, becoming a frequent guest on the first two series.
2005: Continued Double Act and Hosting Political Animal
In 2005, John Oliver continued his double act performances and co-hosting the political radio show Political Animal with Andy Zaltzman.
July 2006: Joined The Daily Show
In July 2006, John Oliver joined The Daily Show with Jon Stewart as its Senior British Correspondent after being recommended by Ricky Gervais, marking a major turning point in his career.
2006: Joined The Daily Show
In 2006, John Oliver joined The Daily Show with Jon Stewart as its Senior British Correspondent, marking a significant step in his career in the United States.
October 2007: Co-Hosted The Bugle Podcast
Starting in October 2007, John Oliver co-hosted The Bugle, a weekly comedy podcast, with Andy Zaltzman, which became an independent project in 2012.
2007: BBC America Closed Caption Campaign
In 2007, John Oliver wrote and presented a BBC America campaign to have viewers use closed captions, using humor to address the issue of understanding British accents.
2008: Played Dick Pants in The Love Guru
In 2008, John Oliver played Dick Pants in The Love Guru, marking his first film role.
2008: John Oliver: Terrifying Times Premiered
In 2008, John Oliver's first stand-up special, John Oliver: Terrifying Times, premiered on Comedy Central, marking a milestone in his stand-up career.
2009: John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show Ordered
In 2009, Comedy Central announced that it would be ordering six episodes of the John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show, a series featuring sets from himself and other comedians.
2009: Performed in Important Things with Demetri Martin
In 2009, John Oliver performed several roles in the Comedy Central series Important Things with Demetri Martin and made a cameo in The Fiery Furnaces' music video "Even in the Rain".
2010: Four Seasons of New York Stand-Up Show Produced
From 2010, four seasons of John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show were produced, showcasing his and other comedians' performances.
2010: Hosted John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show
In 2010, John Oliver started hosting the stand-up series John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show on Comedy Central, which lasted until 2013.
2010: Originally Cast in Absolutely Anything
In 2010, John Oliver was originally cast to star in the Terry Jones film Absolutely Anything, but scheduling conflicts led to his role being recast for Simon Pegg.
2011: Voice Acting in The Smurfs
In 2011, John Oliver began his voice acting career in animated films, including his role in The Smurfs movie.
2012: Guest Starred in Gravity Falls and Randy Cunningham
In 2012, John Oliver guest-starred in Gravity Falls as the voice of Sherlock Holmes and in Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja as the voice of Coach Green.
2012: Oliver Investigates Miss America Scholarships
In 2012, John Oliver's team analyzed the Miss America Organization's tax returns and found that the scholarship program only distributes a small fraction of the claimed "$45 million made available annually".
2012: The Bugle Becomes Independent
In 2012, The Bugle, co-hosted by John Oliver and Andy Zaltzman, transitioned into an independent project, showcasing its established success.
June 2013: Guest-Hosted The Daily Show
Starting in June 2013, John Oliver guest-hosted The Daily Show for eight weeks while Jon Stewart directed his film Rosewater, leading to positive reviews and discussions about his future hosting potential.
2013: Guest Host of The Daily Show
In 2013, John Oliver guest-hosted The Daily Show for an eight-week period, showcasing his talent and solidifying his presence in the comedy scene.
2013: Guest Starred in Rick and Morty
In 2013, John Oliver guest-starred in Rick and Morty as an amoeba named Dr Xenon Bloom, adding to his diverse voice acting roles.
2013: USO Tour in Afghanistan
In 2013, John Oliver went to Afghanistan on a USO tour to perform for the troops, demonstrating his support for the military.
2014: Began Hosting Last Week Tonight
In 2014, John Oliver began hosting Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, focusing on thoroughly researched segments and current events.
2014: Guest Starred in The Simpsons
In 2014, John Oliver guest-starred in The Simpsons as Booth Wilkes-John, marking an appearance in the iconic animated series.
May 2015: Ended The Bugle Podcast
In May 2015, John Oliver ended his run co-hosting The Bugle, a weekly comedy podcast, with Andy Zaltzman.
February 2016: Oliver's Trump Segment Receives 62 Million Facebook Views
In February 2016, John Oliver's segment on Donald Trump received 62 million views on Facebook and 23 million on YouTube within a month.
June 2016: Medical Debt Forgiveness
On 4 June 2016, John Oliver forgave over $15 million of medical debt owed by over 9,000 people, purchasing the debt for $60,000 on his show, demonstrating significant philanthropy.
September 2017: Contract Extended to 2020
In September 2017, John Oliver's contract for Last Week Tonight was extended through to 2020, ensuring the show's continuation.
2017: Guest Starred in Bob's Burgers
In 2017, John Oliver guest-starred in Bob's Burgers as a cat agent, contributing his voice acting talents to another popular animated show.
2018: Executive Producer for Wyatt Cenac's Problem Areas
From 2018, John Oliver worked as an executive producer for Wyatt Cenac's Problem Areas, expanding his role behind the camera.
2018: Oliver Presents A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo
In 2018, Oliver presented the children's book A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo, a parody featuring the pet rabbit of Vice President Mike Pence in a gay relationship.
2018: Study Finds Last Week Tonight Viewers More Familiar with Net Neutrality
In 2018, a study found that viewers of Last Week Tonight were generally more familiar with net neutrality than non-viewers; Last Week Tonight viewers were also more likely to support strict regulation to ensure net neutrality.
2019: Voiced Zazu in The Lion King Remake
In 2019, John Oliver voiced Zazu in the remake of Disney's The Lion King, further expanding his voice acting portfolio.
2019: Voiced Steve in Wonder Park and Zazu in The Lion King
In 2019, John Oliver voiced the porcupine Steve in the CGI animated film Wonder Park and the hornbill Zazu in the remake of Disney's The Lion King, continuing his voice acting career.
September 2020: Contract Extended to 2023
In September 2020, John Oliver's contract for Last Week Tonight was extended through to 2023, reinforcing his commitment to the show.
2020: Oliver Endorses Joe Biden in 2020 Election
In 2020, John Oliver endorsed Joe Biden for president and celebrated his victory over Donald Trump, cautioning about the significant support Trump still garnered.
2020: Guest Starred in Big Mouth
In 2020, John Oliver guest-starred in Big Mouth as the camp counsellor Harry, adding another role to his voice acting repertoire.
2022: Last Week Tonight Raises Over $5 Million for Charities
In 2022, a study found that "calls for action" by Oliver in seasons seven and eight of Last Week Tonight raised over $5 million for charities and other causes.
August 2023: Started Hosting Strike Force Five Podcast
On 30 August 2023, John Oliver began hosting the comedy podcast Strike Force Five with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers, to support their staff members out of work due to the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike.
December 2023: Contract Extended to 2026
In December 2023, John Oliver's contract for Last Week Tonight was extended through to 2026, guaranteeing the show's future.
2023: Reddit Subreddits Protest with Oliver Content
During the 2023 Reddit API controversy, major subreddits protested by only allowing content containing John Oliver.
October 2024: Oliver's Miss America Segment Gains Over 24 Million Views
As of October 2024, the official YouTube video of Oliver's Miss America segment has been viewed more than 24 million times. The Society of Women Engineers said Oliver's reference to their scholarship led to $25,000 in donations over the subsequent two days.
2024: Oliver Endorses Kamala Harris in 2024 Election
In 2024, John Oliver endorsed Kamala Harris for president. He has been strongly critical of Trump and the Republican Party.
2026: Last Week Tonight Contract Extension
In 2026, John Oliver will continue hosting Last Week Tonight under his extended contract, allowing him to further impact US culture and policymaking.
