Rove McManus returns to his TV roots

No one is more excited about Rove McManus returning to talk show television that the man himself.

The 45-year-old Perth-raised comedian and TV personality couldn’t be more thrilled to be returning to the live television arena which helped catapult his career to the national and international stage some 20 years ago.

“This is what I love most,” the father-of-one enthuses by phone from Sydney.

“Coming from a stand-up background where there’s no room for error, this is the type of television I love the most and to be honest I think it’s the best ace up the sleeve that free-to-air has in the current climate, it’s something you can enjoy in the moment.

“So it’s kind of nice there is something, if you do it right, that people want to watch when its happening and can engage in when we’re watching at home because it will be live.”

While McManus has landed numerous TV and hosting gigs over the years, Saturday Night Rove will mark his return to the live TV format since his popular series, Rove Live, wrapped in 2009.

While fans were given a taste of the show when it debuted as part of Ten’s Pilot Week last year, McManus says Saturday Night Rove will be “pared back” and promises to entertain viewers who plan to spend their Saturday evening on the couch.

“It’s probably close to two years since we did the pilot, so after all this wait, we’re ready to let go of the reins and just get going,” he said.

McManus adds that if viewers are sick of watching British murder-mysteries or movie re-runs, Saturday Night Rove has plenty to offer.

“So the hope is, there isn’t an audience that is being served on a Saturday night, and that we can be something that has been lacking otherwise on their television,” he says.

“Even if people are looking to go out, we’ll be done by 8.30 and for a lot of people, that will probably be around the time they’re looking to head out. But if you’re staying in, it can be a nice way of easing you into your evening, or if you’re heading out then hopefully we can kickstart your night for you.”

Filmed live in a Sydney TV studio (albeit delayed for Perth viewers), the one-hour show will feature stand-up comedy from some of Australia’s funniest comedians, along with pre-recorded sketches and interviews with local and international celebrity guests.

“The feeling of it is, it’s a live television studio, and me and a bunch of comedy mates getting together and having a good time, we’ll have guests and sketches both live in studio and on tape, stand-ups as well,” he says.

“So I’ll have a regular group of Alex Lee, Alex Jae and Justin Hamilton who will be there every week then we’ll have the usual line-up of local and international people who might be in town.”

McManus hopes to draw a wide range of intergenerational viewers, from those who had tuned in back in his Rove Live “Say hi to your mum for me” days through to millennials and mums and dads who will watch with their kids.

“I started (Rove Live) when I was in my mid-20s, so someone who was in their thirties watching back then who are now in their fifties could be watching,” he says.

“So hopefully there’s a generation that can be introduced to the show and to me as well who maybe are too young to go out on a Saturday night.

“We’re looking at it as a show that will have something in it for every potential age group. That’s our hope anyway.”

Saturday Night Rove airs on Saturday at 7.30pm on Ten/WIN.