Bård Tufte Johansen will leave the panel programme «Nytt på nytt» when the current autumn season ends, VG reports. The comedian disclosed his decision during the recording of this week's episode on Thursday evening.
He told the audience that his tenure has reached ten years, and that he preferred to step away on a round anniversary rather than stay longer. He joked to VG that the alternative headline would have been about him finally quitting after 50 years on the show.
Why it matters
Tufte Johansen has fronted one of Norwegian broadcasting's most established satirical news programmes for close to a decade, and his departure marks the end of a distinct era for the show. It also follows another change in the programme's on-air lineup earlier this year, making this a period of noticeable turnover at «Nytt på nytt».
Nearly ten years at the desk
The Skien-born comedian took over the host role from Jon Almaas, and his first broadcast aired on 13 January 2017, according to VG. That puts his run just short of the ten-year mark he referenced in his announcement.
Reflecting on the period, Tufte Johansen told VG he expects to look back on his time with the programme warmly, and that he is braced for a certain amount of melancholy once he steps away. He also made light of the physical toll of the job, saying his script is already printed at the largest available font size and in bold, and that it will be good to bring in someone who can manage ordinary-sized text.
Colleagues react with mixed feelings
Johan Golden, a regular panellist throughout Tufte Johansen's years as host, greeted the news with divided emotions. He told VG it is naturally sad that one of Norway's funniest men is leaving, while conceding that the change works in favour of those positioned beneath him on the programme's honour roll.
Golden illustrated the point with a football comparison, suggesting that while a retirement by Haaland would be a sad occasion, it would not be entirely bad news for Jørgen Strand Larsen.
Kristine Grændsen, who joined the programme this year, also responded to the announcement. She told VG she finds it strange that he is leaving, joked that she had promised not to review him, and said she will miss him a great deal.
Project manager Kjetil Kooyman highlighted what Tufte Johansen brought to the role, pointing to his engagement with the news, his sense of comic timing and his ability to cope when a situation takes an unexpected turn.
Kooyman declined to say who will take over the host chair, and said he welcomes speculation in the meantime. He described staff changes at «Nytt på nytt» as always producing a blend of sadness and anticipation, and noted that a generational shift of this kind tends to provoke strong opinions and public engagement. He added that the programme belongs to its viewers, and that the team looks forward to seeing whom audiences put forward as their preferred successor.
The host change is not the only recent shift on the show. Earlier this year, Isalill Kolpus stepped down as a regular team leader, and Kristine Grændsen was named as her replacement, VG reports.
What to watch: the programme has not named Tufte Johansen's successor, and Kooyman has invited viewers to speculate until an announcement is made.
