Guess who's leaving The Project.

Comedian Dave Hughes has announced this morning that he will be stepping down from ‘The Project’ after five years as a full-time host of the hit show.

The former radio host is set to tour Australia next year instead, performing stand-up, but plans to still make weekly appearances on the show, checking in from around the country.

Hughesy will be replaced by fellow comedian Peter Helliar, who is already a regular contributor on the Channel Ten show.

Speaking to Sydney Confidential, Hughes said that: “It’s definitely a tough decision, as we have had so many unbelievable moments on the desk. You meet some of the biggest stars in the world and chat with them and have some wonderful times.” But, “I’ve had this deep desire to have a year of doing stand-up comedy’.

The news comes after Hughes quit from his radio breakfast show ‘Hughesy & Kate’ on Nova in Melbourne earlier this year.

“We love our show,” said Hughes. “It’s been an amazing place to work. Since day one, when me, Katie and Dave O’Neil started … we’ve had so much fun. It’s been a joy to come to work. I have not had one boring day in 12 years coming to work with Kate Langbroek.” The pair were the first voices to launch the station in December 2001.

Dave will be joined on the road next year with his wife Holly and their three children under five. You can catch his first show in Adelaide in February.

We wish him all the best.

Take a look through some of Hughesy’s funniest moments from the show: