Controversial Daily Show host Trevor Noah is coming to NZ

Trevor Noah is heading back to Auckland in September. (Supplied)

Trevor Noah, the South African comedian who succeeded Jon Stewart on The Daily Show, is returning to New Zealand for a stand-up gig.

Noah will play at the Civic Theatre on September 3.

It will be his third appearance in Auckland having played here in October 2014 and at the 2013 Comedy Festival, before his international profile was boosted by taking over from Stewart, The Daily Show's beloved long-time host.

Despite his television commitments, Noah maintains a touring stand-up career which has him playing across Europe and the US in the coming months before heading to New Zealand and Australia.

Noah took over from Stewart on the Comedy Central programme in September last year with the quip: "Once more a job Americans rejected is now being done by an immigrant."

Since the change, the show has suffered falling ratings with viewership down by over a third according to Nielsen.

It's also won Noah mixed notices, especially at a time when American politics is offering such rich pickings for comedy.

A survey of recent US reviews of his stand-up show Lost in Translation suggest Novah is funnier on stage telling his own stories than he is in front of the Daily Show's cameras.

Tickets for Noah's Civic appearance go on sale next week via Ticketmaster.