What TV host John Oliver earns per episode is staggering — but he's still upset HBO denied him a raise

When it comes to popular faces on American television, British comedian, actor, and satirist, John Oliver's show "Last Week Tonight" on HBO has captivated audiences beyond borders. He and his team of researchers are often credited with the success of the show, but Oliver reportedly feels he is not being valued enough. The longtime host of the show reportedly fired his agency WME after failing to get a raise from HBO after it recently renewed his contract. 

Well-Deserved Raise Too Much to Ask For?

In the decade that he has hosted "Last Week Tonight," Oliver has done an amazing job delivering information with hilarious monologues. Given the success, HBO decided to renew the show for three more years, through 2026, in December of last year.

While it was good news for the show, Oliver wasn't exactly satisfied with it, according to Matthew Belloni‘s "What I’m Hearing" newsletter. As per the report, Oliver believed that he deserved a raise and his agents had failed to secure it for him. To put things into context, Oliver's first contract with HBO was a two-year deal that paid an annual salary of $8 million. As the show became an instant hit, HBO offered him a three-year, $45 million extension till 2020. Oliver then landed another 3-year extension which again doubled his salary to $30 million for a 30-episode season, which meant $1 million per episode. However, there was a dip in 2023, when Oliver signed yet another 3-year extension without a raise. Thus, his salary will remain roughly $1 million per episode through the end of 2026, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

As a result, Oliver decided to fire his agency WME, which had been working with the comedian since 2012, when he was a correspondent on The Daily Show. Like many other celebrities, Oliver may have misdirected his resentment, ignoring the shifting realities of the television comedy. As Belloni writes, there has been “an overall contraction in TV,” and “fiscal restraints at HBO parent Warner Bros. Discovery.” But even without a raise, Oliver remains one of the top-paid personalities on TV.

Frustrated with HBO

It seems like the host who talks about serious topics in a light-hearted way, is not having the best time on the show. Earlier in October, he lashed out at HBO as well for delaying the release of Last Week Tonight segments on YouTube.

Speaking on "The Interview" podcast from The New York Times, the late-night host criticized HBO for the schedule change. For the 11th season of the show,  the premium cable outlet decided to hold back the segments for a few more days after the premiere before releasing them on YouTube. Previously the show's main story was released the next morning after an episode was aired. According to The Hollywood Reporter, HBO believes that the show is a key driver for Max subscriptions and the scheduling change will entice the viewers to pay the monthly fee and get early access to the popular segments.

However, the host seems to disagree. “It’s massively frustrating to me. I was not happy with it at all,” Oliver said on the podcast. He further explained that he loves that the show can reach his audience beyond HBO subscribers and appreciated the network for releasing the segments for free.