Political satirist, who was often described as the Jon Stewart of Egypt, becomes a resident fellow

Egypt’s most popular satirist, Bassem Youssef, has joined the Harvard Institute of Politics at the John F Kennedy School of Government as a resident fellow for the spring semester, eight months after winding up his TV show because he felt it was no longer safe to satirise Egyptian politics.

“The present climate in Egypt is not suitable for a political satire programme,” the former surgeon told reporters in a press conference at the time. “I’m tired of struggling and worrying about my safety and that of my family.”

Youssef was often described as the Jon Stewart of Egypt. His political satire was the first of its kind in Egypt and started during the 2011 uprising that forced longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak to step down. His programme developed a following at a time when Egyptians were aspiring to hold their politicians accountable. But in April 2014, his show was taken off the air as the opportunities for criticism of authorities shrank.

Youssef tweeted he was proud to join Harvard for a semester.