Why Rove McManus said yes to a radio gig

EVER since he was announced as the new host of 2Day FM’s breakfast show, radio circles have been asking the same question ... Why did Rove say yes?

Why Rove said yes to a radio gig

EVER since he was announced as the new host of 2Day FM’s breakfast show, those in radio circles have been asking the same question ... Why did Rove say yes?

He was once the biggest star in the country, but over the past few years the comedian has been living and working in the US, appearing only sparingly on our Aussie TV screens.

So what prompted the 41-year-old to try and reacquiant himself to the public as co-host of the Sydney breakfast show with The Bachelorette’s Sam Frost?

“Timing,” said Rove to news.com.au, “It’s the absolute perfect timing”.

“The network [Southern Cross Austereo] reached out with the opportunity to come in and talk about the idea of doing something with them and the more I thought about it, the more I liked it.”

But it wasn’t purely a business decision.

“I’m looking to have a bit more stability than just sort of ping-ponging all over the world,” he said.

“With a young family it kind of felt like it would be nice to just put down some roots.”

The duo will launch their new show on November 9 which doesn’t give them much time to plan in detail exactly what they want their show to be like.

“What I want is to have a fun show, a show that feels like you’re listening to friends. And just to connect with the audience.

“Something I really get off on when it comes to radio is that it’s one of the few mediums that left that has such immediacy. The idea that someone could be listening and you make a comment and they can call in straight away with their opinion and they became part of the show. I’ve always been excited by that live element.”

Rove McManus pic suppled by Southern Cross Austereo

When chatting with Rove, it’s clear he’s a pretty optimistic guy, and he’ll need to be.

Sydney is the toughest radio market in Australia and the last two breakfast shows on 2Day FM have only lasted a year.

“I wouldn’t say I’m worried,” said Rove about taking on shows such as Fitzy and Wippa and Kyle and Jackie O.

“I’ve got a lot of friends out there who will soon be competition but that’s the nature of the beast. But I genuinely feel there is an audience out there, despite the fact it is a very tough market, there’s still a place for us to find our voice among that and for it to be something that people are receptive to and it work in our favour.

“I’m very aware that there is no tougher market than breakfast radio in Sydney but that’s part of what makes it exciting.”

And finally, one can’t help but wonder if Rove’s return to radio will eventually be followed by a return to his favourite medium, television.

“That’s always a possibility,” he said.

“I’ll get this one right first and then we’ll see what happens. but yeah that’s something that I love and we’ll see what the future holds.”