The time Malala left Jon Stewart speechless

It isn't everyday that the chatty satirical news host is struck dumb

Razor sharp political wit and motor mouth Jon Stewart, who announced last night that he is leaving The Daily Show, has rarely been lost for words.

But teenage Nobel Peace Prize-winner Malala left him completely speechless when she appeared on his show.

The 16-year-old, who was shot by the Taliban when she was just 14, said she found out while searching the internet that the Taliban were targeting her for daring to speak out.

“I just could not believe, I said ‘no it’s not true’, and even after the threat I was not worried about myself that much I was worried about my father because we thought that the Taliban are not so cruel to kill a child because I was 14 at the time,” she said.

“But later I started thinking and I used to think that the Talib would come and he would just kill me. But then I said, ‘If he comes, what would you do Malala?’ then I would reply to myself, ‘Malala, just take a shoe and hit him.’ But then I said, ‘If you hit a Talib with your shoe, then there would be no difference between you and the Talib.”

Stewart was left listening in silence with his head in his hands as Malala recounted her experience, adding: “You must not treat others with cruelty and that harshly, you must fight others but through peace and through dialogue and through education.’ Then I said I will tell him how important education is and that ‘I even want education for your children as well.’ And I will tell him, ‘That’s what I want to tell you, now do what you want’.”

Watch the full interview (above), with Malala’s remarks about the Taliban beginning at around 3 minutes 50 seconds.

Stewart is to to leave The Daily Show after 17 years as host. Comedy Central announced that the comedian, 52, would step down from the role later this year.