<P> Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (often abridged as Last Week Tonight) is an American late - night talk and news satire television program hosted by comedian John Oliver . The half - hour - long show premiered on Sunday, April 27, 2014, on HBO . Last Week Tonight shares some similarities with Comedy Central's The Daily Show (where Oliver was previously featured as a correspondent and fill - in host), as it takes a satirical look at news, politics and current events, but on a weekly basis . </P> <P> Oliver has stated that he has "full creative freedom, including free rein to criticize corporations ." His initial contract with HBO was for two years with an option for extension . </P> <P> The fifth season is scheduled to premiere on February 18, 2018 . In September 2017, HBO announced that the show had been renewed for three additional seasons of 30 episodes each, keeping the show on the air through 2020 . </P> <P> Oliver described his preparations for the show to an interviewer for The Wire: "...I basically have to watch everything . The only thing I kind of watch for pleasure is Fareed Zakaria's show on Sundays...That and 60 Minutes I watch for pleasure, or maybe Frontline...I have a TV on in my office all the time and I'll generally flick around on that from CNN, Fox, MSNBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Al Jazeera...I'm watching with a certain thing in mind and that is how to see a story told badly ." </P>

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