Jon Stewart final show: Bryan Cranston and Courtney Love send off Daily Show host with #jonvoyage tributes

It was an emotional evening as Stewart said goodbye after a 16-year run

Jon Stewart during a taping of "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" in New York (AP)

Bryan Cranston and Courtney Love have led an outpouring of tributes to Jon Stewart as the comedian ended his 16-year reign as host of The Daily Show.

Stewart was given a huge send off overnight after bowing out with an emotional address to the audience he built up such a strong rapport with at the helm of the programme.

After uttering his parting words - “here it is, my moment of zen” - Stewart was joined on stage by a number of guests from past shows who had gathered to wish him ‘JonVoyage’. Those who couldn’t make it left a number of messages praising Stewart for his political satire on Twitter with the #JonVoyage hashtag.

Understanding his influence, politicians from both the left and the right often wrangled to appear on his show despite knowing they would be subjected to a no-holds bar grilling they would be unlikely to emerge unscathed from.

Barack Obama was one of those politicians who returned for more even after being lambasted by Stewart for failing to act on his election promises. The President was one of his final guests on the show and joked about issuing an “executive order” to stop Stewart from leaving the show.

A divisive host, Stewart's incisive analysis of news, current events, the media and the Republican party endeared him to some and infuriated other, often lampooning Donald Trump and other figures in the run up to the 2016 Presidential elections in a series of memorable sketches and parodies.

He ended his show hugging guests, his family and dancing to his idol, Bruce Springstein.