Pete Buttigieg is set to guest host Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Thursday. The former Democratic presidential candidate shared the news on the Monday broadcast of Today.
"We're lining up a great slate of guests," Buttigieg told NBC's Craig Melvin. "Sir Patrick Stewart is coming on, so we are very excited about that."
Buttigieg — who is stepping in for Kimmel as the late-night host is busy with production for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire — also said that he hopes to have help writing Thursday's opening monologue.
"Hopefully some funnier minds than mine will be doing some writing for that. I think it is going to be fun," the former South Bend, Indiana mayor said. "The thing about running a presidential campaign is you will have been focused on one thing and one thing only. It is nice to be able to zoom out and come back at life."
Hours later, Kimmel joked on Twitter, "While I'm out hosting @MillionaireTV, I nominate @PeteButtigieg to be my guest host Thursday, March 12– thanks Mayor Pete!"
Buttigieg's appearance on Today comes just days after he dropped out of the presidential race on March 1. Since then, he has been traveling the country with his husband, Chasten, thanking supporters. The politician said that he is "going to have some fun" before looking for his next job.
During his interview with Melvin, Buttigieg also explained why he ended his campaign.
"Getting into this race was never just about becoming president, for us it was about working to unify the party and the country and it was about making sure that we defeat Donald Trump," said Buttigieg, who has since endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden. "And there came a point when I realized that the best thing I could do in the service of those goals was to step aside."
Watch Buttigieg's appearance on Today below.
