Rove Live
Encyclopedia
Rove, formerly Rove Live, was an Australian television talk show which premiered on the Nine Network
on 22 September 1999, before moving to Network Ten
which aired the program from 2000 until November, 2009. The show was hosted by comedian Rove McManus
, and featured an ensemble cast, who presented various segments throughout the course of the show. The show won the Logie Award
for "Most Popular Light Entertainment Program" five times (2002, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009).
's Channel 31
, a community access television station. It was a straightforward tonight show, with a comic monologue from the host, pre-recorded skits and guest interviews. The show had unusually high production values for a community access show.
developed the show into a commercial production. In 1999, the show, named Rove, ran in a late-night timeslot for 10 episodes. The show featured McManus and three co-hosts he referred to as 'the kids on the couch': Peter Helliar
, Corinne Grant
and Dave Callan
. However, Nine decided not to renew the program and the cast moved to Network Ten
the following year.
The new show, very similar to the Nine production, was named Rove Live. The show was sometimes known as Rove [Live] or Rove (Live), owing to the use of (square) brackets around the word 'Live' in some of the show's graphics.
Dave Callan left the show after one year, to pursue standup comedy and radio opportunities. Corinne Grant left the show at the end of 2005, to concentrate on The Glass House
and other interests. Carrie Bickmore
joined the cast in 2006, presenting a parody news segment. Meshel Laurie
joined the cast for only one year.
In November 2006, Rove Live was suspended until further notice due to the death of McManus' wife Belinda Emmett
. Rove wrote a personal message on the Rove Live website, saying that it "is a very difficult period for all of us and some time away is the best thing for me right now".
to the old Seven Network
studios in South Melbourne
. It now occupied the premium timeslot of 8:30pm on Sunday nights.
Peter Helliar
returned to McManus's side. Bickmore's role in the show increased. Following the cancellation of the show The Glass House
, Dave Hughes
joined Rove. The comedy duo Hamish & Andy
, who had previously collaborated with Roving Enterprises with their television show Real Stories
, began appearing every second week. Their associate Ryan Shelton
also began presenting a segment each week.
Each year, the show's set changes in some way from the previous. In a previous year, the set was changed to be less like a traditional tonight show and more like a variety show. In 2007, the show's set was reconfigured back into a more traditional tonight show again, even going so far as having a view of the Melbourne cityscape in the background.
In July 2007, a special show was filmed at Times Square
in New York City. Rove, Helliar and Adam Hills attended, and a live Australian audience was present. In late July a second special was filmed in Los Angeles at the Bob Barker Studio
.
Hayden Guppy
now also co-host of Video Hits
also became a cast member, who shows TV viewers what the cast does during ad
breaks.
In 2008, Myf Warhurst
, who co-hosted a breakfast radio show with Peter Helliar
on Triple M
, joined the cast as an infrequent addition whenever a regular cast member was unavailable. Again in 2008, Elmo
once again returned for another visit too, because of being considered as the favorites in Rove and the interview is still featured in the studio since 2006 visit.
In 2009 the program moved premises to ABC Studios in Elsternwick, Victoria
which houses a new set. Dave Hughes, Hamish Blake and Andy Lee began only appearing on a fortnightly appearance. Between May and July 2009, Brian Wenzel
had a weekly skit at the end of the show.
After 12 July, the show went off-air to let the team take a mid-year break due to the show starting in February (earlier than 2007 and 2008). It was also announced that this episode would be Bickmore's and Hughesy's final episode as regular cast members, due to them both leaving to focus on their new show, The 7pm Project
, which premiered on 20 July 2009, and is also produced by Roving Enterprises.
, which rated over two million viewers for its two reunion shows. McManus made a comment to The Herald Sun and stated "This show is my love and my passion and it’s always what I’ve wanted to do." McManus then continued to say "If everything else fell down, as long as I still get to do this thing I love then I’m happy. We have that connection with the audience at the moment and that’s where my enthusiasm is coming from."
However, rumours appeared the day before the 2009 finale of Rove in that "staff on his TV show were told this week to look for alternative work next year." Ten's publicity department denied these claims by stating ""We have checked with Roving (Enterprises) and no such discussion was had. As for what changes may or may not be made with Rove for 2010, this will be announced on the show this Sunday, stay tuned." McManus was spotted earlier dining with Merrick Watts
and Peter Helliar in Sydney, prompting talk that he might return to radio in 2010.
The rumour of the show ending later revealed to be true as during the finale on 15 November 2009, McManus confirmed that the show would be ending with the 2009 finale. He said: "It's purely my decision. It's not one I've made lightly or flippantly. The timing was right to stop, stand back and see what happens next."
The final show finished at 11:11pm AEDT with a montage of clips from the 2009 season and a performance by Powderfinger
. Rove's last words was a variation of his signature sign off: 'I'm Rove McManus, say bye to your mum for me'.
Secondary cast
Secondary cast
and the other cast members present on the couch that week.
PeteSpace, a parody of social-networking website MySpace
, consists of Helliar presenting a selection of celebrities, news-makers and online video clips that make up his top events of the week.
Kristy at the news desk presented by Kristy Warner, was a parody
news report, similar to the long-running Weekend Update
segment of the American sketch show, Saturday Night Live
(Replaced Carrie at the news desk from 17 August 2009 onwards).
Judith Lucy presented by Judith Lucy. Lucy delivers a satirical and comedic commentary on a personal or newsworthy topic (Replaced Hughsey! from 17 August 2009 onwards).
Throughout each show, Rove will interview several celebrity guests. Each interview ends with a segment titled Public Probe where he will ask his guests five different questions that have been posted to the website by the general public. At the end of the interview, Rove would usually spruik the product or event that guest was promoting, and the words The Plug will appear on the screen.
Throughout the course of the show, a variety of other segments are shown, presented by members of the Rove cast:
Two other segments are occasionally shown, not necessarily every week.
The final segment of the show was What Have We Learnt?, in which each cast member, and usually each guest, give a humourus example of what they have learned during the week. Peter Helliar
always answers last and ends with "and you can read all about it in my new book..."
The show will usually end with a live performance from a band in the studio, and McManus will end the show by saying his trademark line "Say hi to your mum for me!". Starting in 2005 the band performs before the closing credits
. In previous years the credits would roll while the band performed. In 2006, Rove had a house band, which may have been the same band as the main act, or an Australian band of much smaller stature than the main act. They would play live music when returning from ad breaks.
, Jerry Seinfeld
and Kath & Kim
as guests. The show rated 19th for the day, with only 797,000 viewers nationwide.
On 16 May 2006, the ratings peaked over a million for the first time since 2002 when 1,040,762 viewers watched nationwide. This episode involved an intruder entering the Big Brother house live during the show. The final episode for 2006 attracted only 700,000 viewers nationally. This wasn't intended to be the final episode, but eventuated as the result of the death of McManus' wife Belinda Emmett
.
The first episode of the revamped series, which began 1 April 2007, attracted 1,693,000 viewers nationwide, and was the highest rating program for the day. For the second episode of the season which aired on 8 April, viewership fell to 999,000. The third episode was shown on 22 April achieving around 1,073,000 viewers. Since then, the show has consistently rated above 1,000,000 viewers nationally.
Rove's final show for 2007 featured then Leader of the Opposition Kevin Rudd
, as well as Australian Greens
leader Bob Brown
, comedian Jerry Seinfeld
and actor Jason Donovan
. It was watched by 1.368 million viewers. The season premiere for 2008, broadcast on 30 March, only attracted 777,000 viewers.
855,000 viewers watched the 2009 return of Rove, up nearly 100,000 viewers on the previous year. Ratings frequently average 800,000–1 million viewers.
in New Zealand at a late night time slot. The show quickly gained a following and it was given a Friday prime time slot (8:30pm–9:30pm). It was not broadcast live
in New Zealand (in spite of its former title Rove Live) but rather five days after the Australian broadcast.
(appearing in character as Bruno
). During the course of the interview, Bruno joked that "I hear [Cohen's] wife gets less sex than Katie Holmes
". However, when televised, the words "Katie Holmes" were censored. A further joke at the expense of Holmes towards the end of the interview was not even televised. Throughout the interview, Bruno
made numerous jokes about other celebrities especially Prime Minister
Kevin Rudd
. These jokes were not similarly censored.
, and selected regional stations until 2004. It was initially known as Saturday Morning Rove. It was then called Rove Live Radio.
character Alf.
The Rap song was recorded by John Von Ahlen and Jaime Jimenez at Subterrane Recording Studio under the guise of Planet J Productions, and included backing vocals by the late Belinda Emmett.
John and Jaime also produced the theme music for Rove Live from 2003 through till the show's revamp in 2007.
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
on 22 September 1999, before moving to Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
which aired the program from 2000 until November, 2009. The show was hosted by comedian Rove McManus
Rove McManus
John Henry Michael "Rove" McManus is an Australian comedian, television presenter, producer and media personality. He was the host of the self-titled variety show Rove, and is the owner of the production company Roving Enterprises...
, and featured an ensemble cast, who presented various segments throughout the course of the show. The show won the Logie Award
Logie Award
The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
for "Most Popular Light Entertainment Program" five times (2002, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009).
Origins: The Loft Live
Rove McManus began his television career hosting The Loft Live on MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
's Channel 31
Channel 31 Melbourne
C31 Melbourne, formally known as Channel 31 Melbourne , is a public television station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.-The Channel:Its signal is transmitted from Mt...
, a community access television station. It was a straightforward tonight show, with a comic monologue from the host, pre-recorded skits and guest interviews. The show had unusually high production values for a community access show.
1999: Rove (Nine Network)
The Nine NetworkNine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
developed the show into a commercial production. In 1999, the show, named Rove, ran in a late-night timeslot for 10 episodes. The show featured McManus and three co-hosts he referred to as 'the kids on the couch': Peter Helliar
Peter Helliar
Peter Jason Matthew Helliar is an Australian comedian, actor and writer. Most famous for his work on television as Rove McManus' sidekick on The Loft Live from 1997 to 1998 and on Rove from 1999 and 2009...
, Corinne Grant
Corinne Grant
Corinne Grant is an Australian comedian and television presenter.-Career:After briefly studying as a nurse in Wodonga, she embarked upon a career as an actor in Melbourne, obtaining a degree in drama. After graduating, Grant started doing stand-up comedy to overcome her stage-fright. Her first...
and Dave Callan
Dave Callan
Dave Callan is a comedian based in Perth, Australia. He currently works as a Triple J disc jockey.- Biography :Callan was born in Dundalk, Ireland, and arrived in Australia in 1990, aged 15...
. However, Nine decided not to renew the program and the cast moved to Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
the following year.
2000–2006: Rove Live
Dave Callan left the show after one year, to pursue standup comedy and radio opportunities. Corinne Grant left the show at the end of 2005, to concentrate on The Glass House
The Glass House (TV series)
The Glass House was a half-hour Australian comedy talk show which screened on the ABC from 2001 to 2006.It was hosted by stand-up comedian Wil Anderson, and co-hosted by fellow television and radio comedians Corinne Grant and Dave Hughes...
and other interests. Carrie Bickmore
Carrie Bickmore
Carrie Bickmore is an Australian radio news presenter and television presenter. Currently she is a presenter on The Project which airs on weeknights on Network Ten.-Personal life:...
joined the cast in 2006, presenting a parody news segment. Meshel Laurie
Meshel Laurie
Meshel Laurie is an Australian comedian and radio-television personality. She was born in Toowoomba, Queensland.Laurie moved to Melbourne early in her career as a stand-up comic to take advantage of its strong comedy industry/community. Her first Melbourne International Comedy Festival show was...
joined the cast for only one year.
In November 2006, Rove Live was suspended until further notice due to the death of McManus' wife Belinda Emmett
Belinda Emmett
Belinda 'Belle' Jane Emmett was an Australian actress and singer. She was married to television personality Rove McManus and was known for her roles in the TV drama series Home and Away and All Saints.-Early life:...
. Rove wrote a personal message on the Rove Live website, saying that it "is a very difficult period for all of us and some time away is the best thing for me right now".
2007–2009: Rove
The show reverted to the title of Rove in 2007. Production moved from the Global Television facility in NunawadingNunawading, Victoria
Nunawading is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 19 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whitehorse...
to the old Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
studios in South Melbourne
South Melbourne, Victoria
South Melbourne is an inner city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Port Phillip and Melbourne...
. It now occupied the premium timeslot of 8:30pm on Sunday nights.
Peter Helliar
Peter Helliar
Peter Jason Matthew Helliar is an Australian comedian, actor and writer. Most famous for his work on television as Rove McManus' sidekick on The Loft Live from 1997 to 1998 and on Rove from 1999 and 2009...
returned to McManus's side. Bickmore's role in the show increased. Following the cancellation of the show The Glass House
The Glass House (TV series)
The Glass House was a half-hour Australian comedy talk show which screened on the ABC from 2001 to 2006.It was hosted by stand-up comedian Wil Anderson, and co-hosted by fellow television and radio comedians Corinne Grant and Dave Hughes...
, Dave Hughes
Dave Hughes
David William "Hughesy" Hughes is an Australian stand-up comedian, radio and television presenter. He is currently co-host on the Network Ten's The Project and Before the Game as well as the breakfast radio show Hughesy and Kate.-Television:Hughes co-hosted the ABC comedy talk show The Glass House...
joined Rove. The comedy duo Hamish & Andy
Hamish & Andy
Hamish & Andy are an Australian comedy duo formed in 2003 by Hamish Blake and Andy Lee. They currently host the radio program The Hamish & Andy Show which airs in Australia on the Today Network....
, who had previously collaborated with Roving Enterprises with their television show Real Stories
Real Stories
Real Stories is an Australian satirical television comedy series produced by Carlton Television for Network Ten. It was created by Hamish Blake and Andy Lee. The series was first broadcast on 22 August 2006....
, began appearing every second week. Their associate Ryan Shelton
Ryan Shelton
Ryan Shelton is an Australian comedian, actor, radio presenter, television personality, host and writer.- Biography :He attended St Leonards College for some of his schooling, where he met Hamish Blake...
also began presenting a segment each week.
Each year, the show's set changes in some way from the previous. In a previous year, the set was changed to be less like a traditional tonight show and more like a variety show. In 2007, the show's set was reconfigured back into a more traditional tonight show again, even going so far as having a view of the Melbourne cityscape in the background.
In July 2007, a special show was filmed at Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
in New York City. Rove, Helliar and Adam Hills attended, and a live Australian audience was present. In late July a second special was filmed in Los Angeles at the Bob Barker Studio
CBS Television City
CBS Television City is a television studio complex located in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles at 7800 Beverly Boulevard, at the corner of North Fairfax Avenue...
.
Hayden Guppy
Hayden Guppy
Hayden Guppy is an Australian TV presenter.He was a former co-host of Video Hits, alongside Fuzzy Agolley until he left for reasons not cited in January 2010. He was part of the secondary cast on variety show Rove, until it disbanded in 2009...
now also co-host of Video Hits
Video Hits (Australian TV series)
Video Hits was an Australian music video program that first aired on 15 February 1987. From 7 May 2011 it broadcasted on Network Ten for two hours each Saturday and Sunday morning: 10am – 12pm on Saturdays and 8am – 10am on Sundays. Video Hits was the world's second longest running music show...
also became a cast member, who shows TV viewers what the cast does during ad
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
breaks.
In 2008, Myf Warhurst
Myf Warhurst
Myfanwy "Myf" Warhurst is an Australian radio announcer and television personality, best known for her work at Triple J and on ABC Television's music-themed quiz show Spicks and Specks. Before her career as a radio announcer and TV personality, she was editor-in-chief of Melbourne street press...
, who co-hosted a breakfast radio show with Peter Helliar
Peter Helliar
Peter Jason Matthew Helliar is an Australian comedian, actor and writer. Most famous for his work on television as Rove McManus' sidekick on The Loft Live from 1997 to 1998 and on Rove from 1999 and 2009...
on Triple M
Triple M
The Triple M Network is an active rock radio network in Australia owned by media company Austereo, who also own the Today Network.- History :...
, joined the cast as an infrequent addition whenever a regular cast member was unavailable. Again in 2008, Elmo
Elmo
Elmo is a Muppet character on the children's television show Sesame Street. He is a furry red monster and currently hosts the last full 15 minute segment on Sesame Street, Elmo's World, which is aimed at toddlers. His puppeteer, Kevin Clash, uses falsetto to produce his voice...
once again returned for another visit too, because of being considered as the favorites in Rove and the interview is still featured in the studio since 2006 visit.
In 2009 the program moved premises to ABC Studios in Elsternwick, Victoria
Elsternwick, Victoria
Elsternwick is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 9 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Glen Eira...
which houses a new set. Dave Hughes, Hamish Blake and Andy Lee began only appearing on a fortnightly appearance. Between May and July 2009, Brian Wenzel
Brian Wenzel
Brian Wenzel is an Australian character actor, most famous for his long run as Police Sergeant Frank Gilroy on television program A Country Practice. He was an original cast member and remained along with Shane Porteous through the entire series, winning a Silver Logie for the role...
had a weekly skit at the end of the show.
After 12 July, the show went off-air to let the team take a mid-year break due to the show starting in February (earlier than 2007 and 2008). It was also announced that this episode would be Bickmore's and Hughesy's final episode as regular cast members, due to them both leaving to focus on their new show, The 7pm Project
The 7PM Project
The Project is an Australian talk show television program airing weeknights across Australia on Network Ten. The formerly half hour long show premiered on 20 July 2009, and is hosted by Charlie Pickering, Carrie Bickmore and Dave Hughes, with a rotating daily guest panelist...
, which premiered on 20 July 2009, and is also produced by Roving Enterprises.
Series finale
Various news reports appeared in the lead up to the scheduled season finale for the 2009 season of Rove. The Herald Sun originally reported that McManus had confirmed that his show would not return until later in 2010 Despite not appearing on a list of shows at Ten's 2010 launch event, it was rumoured that Rove would return in 2010 with a new format, similar to Hey Hey It's SaturdayHey Hey It's Saturday
Hey Hey It's Saturday was a long-running variety television program on Australian television. It initially ran for 27 years , debuting on the Nine Network on 9 October 1971 and broadcasting its last episode on 20 November 1999. Its host throughout its entire run was Daryl Somers, who would later...
, which rated over two million viewers for its two reunion shows. McManus made a comment to The Herald Sun and stated "This show is my love and my passion and it’s always what I’ve wanted to do." McManus then continued to say "If everything else fell down, as long as I still get to do this thing I love then I’m happy. We have that connection with the audience at the moment and that’s where my enthusiasm is coming from."
However, rumours appeared the day before the 2009 finale of Rove in that "staff on his TV show were told this week to look for alternative work next year." Ten's publicity department denied these claims by stating ""We have checked with Roving (Enterprises) and no such discussion was had. As for what changes may or may not be made with Rove for 2010, this will be announced on the show this Sunday, stay tuned." McManus was spotted earlier dining with Merrick Watts
Merrick Watts
Merrick Watts is a Australian comedian, radio host and television presenter. He is best known for performing stand-up comedy and radio works as part of the comedy duo Merrick and Rosso with Tim Ross....
and Peter Helliar in Sydney, prompting talk that he might return to radio in 2010.
The rumour of the show ending later revealed to be true as during the finale on 15 November 2009, McManus confirmed that the show would be ending with the 2009 finale. He said: "It's purely my decision. It's not one I've made lightly or flippantly. The timing was right to stop, stand back and see what happens next."
The final show finished at 11:11pm AEDT with a montage of clips from the 2009 season and a performance by Powderfinger
Powderfinger
Powderfinger was an Australian rock band that formed in Brisbane in 1989. From 1992 until their breakup the band lineup consisted of vocalist Bernard Fanning, guitarists Darren Middleton and Ian Haug, bassist John Collins, and drummer Jon Coghill....
. Rove's last words was a variation of his signature sign off: 'I'm Rove McManus, say bye to your mum for me'.
Cast at final episode
Primary cast:- Rove McManusRove McManusJohn Henry Michael "Rove" McManus is an Australian comedian, television presenter, producer and media personality. He was the host of the self-titled variety show Rove, and is the owner of the production company Roving Enterprises...
(1999–2009) - Hamish BlakeHamish BlakeHamish Donald Blake is an Australian comedian, actor, author and bodybuilder from Melbourne, Australia. Since 2003, he has worked with Andy Lee as part of the comedy duo Hamish and Andy. The pair have performed live and on television and radio, most notably with their drive-time radio program...
(2007–2009) - Andy LeeAndy Lee (comedian)Andrew Thomas "Andy" Lee is an Australian comedian. He usually works alongside Hamish Blake as part of the comedy duo Hamish & Andy.-Personal background:...
(2007–2009) - Peter HelliarPeter HelliarPeter Jason Matthew Helliar is an Australian comedian, actor and writer. Most famous for his work on television as Rove McManus' sidekick on The Loft Live from 1997 to 1998 and on Rove from 1999 and 2009...
(1999–2009) - Ryan SheltonRyan SheltonRyan Shelton is an Australian comedian, actor, radio presenter, television personality, host and writer.- Biography :He attended St Leonards College for some of his schooling, where he met Hamish Blake...
(2007–2009) - Kristy Warner (2009)
- Judith LucyJudith LucyJudith Mary Lucy is an Australian comedian, known primarily for her stand-up comedy. She has toured Australia with several highly successful one-woman shows, including No Waiter I Ordered the Avocado , King Of The Road , An Impossible Dream , The Show , The Show 2 , Colour Me Judith...
(2009)
Secondary cast
- Hayden Guppy (2008–2009)
- Nick Maxwell (2008–2009)
- Jess Harris (2009)
Former cast
Primary cast- Carrie BickmoreCarrie BickmoreCarrie Bickmore is an Australian radio news presenter and television presenter. Currently she is a presenter on The Project which airs on weeknights on Network Ten.-Personal life:...
(2006–2009) - Dave CallanDave CallanDave Callan is a comedian based in Perth, Australia. He currently works as a Triple J disc jockey.- Biography :Callan was born in Dundalk, Ireland, and arrived in Australia in 1990, aged 15...
(1999–2000) - Corinne GrantCorinne GrantCorinne Grant is an Australian comedian and television presenter.-Career:After briefly studying as a nurse in Wodonga, she embarked upon a career as an actor in Melbourne, obtaining a degree in drama. After graduating, Grant started doing stand-up comedy to overcome her stage-fright. Her first...
(1999–2005) - Dave HughesDave HughesDavid William "Hughesy" Hughes is an Australian stand-up comedian, radio and television presenter. He is currently co-host on the Network Ten's The Project and Before the Game as well as the breakfast radio show Hughesy and Kate.-Television:Hughes co-hosted the ABC comedy talk show The Glass House...
(2007–2009) - Meshel LaurieMeshel LaurieMeshel Laurie is an Australian comedian and radio-television personality. She was born in Toowoomba, Queensland.Laurie moved to Melbourne early in her career as a stand-up comic to take advantage of its strong comedy industry/community. Her first Melbourne International Comedy Festival show was...
(2006) - Ron StewardRon StewardRon Steward born 1927 is a former Australian media personality. He made an odd but regular appearance on the Australian television show, Rove Live as a movie reviewer. He has had a long involvement with the film industry since the 1940s, when he packed films and put them on the trains going out for...
(2005–2006)
Secondary cast
- Tom Piotrowski (2008)
- Brian WenzelBrian WenzelBrian Wenzel is an Australian character actor, most famous for his long run as Police Sergeant Frank Gilroy on television program A Country Practice. He was an original cast member and remained along with Shane Porteous through the entire series, winning a Silver Logie for the role...
(2009) - Myf WarhurstMyf WarhurstMyfanwy "Myf" Warhurst is an Australian radio announcer and television personality, best known for her work at Triple J and on ABC Television's music-themed quiz show Spicks and Specks. Before her career as a radio announcer and TV personality, she was editor-in-chief of Melbourne street press...
(2008–2009)
Format
The show starts with Rove performing a comedic monologue about a variety of news events that have occurred during the previous week. He then introduces Peter HelliarPeter Helliar
Peter Jason Matthew Helliar is an Australian comedian, actor and writer. Most famous for his work on television as Rove McManus' sidekick on The Loft Live from 1997 to 1998 and on Rove from 1999 and 2009...
and the other cast members present on the couch that week.
PeteSpace, a parody of social-networking website MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
, consists of Helliar presenting a selection of celebrities, news-makers and online video clips that make up his top events of the week.
Kristy at the news desk presented by Kristy Warner, was a parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
news report, similar to the long-running Weekend Update
Weekend Update
Weekend Update is a Saturday Night Live sketch that comments on and parodies current events. It is the show's longest running recurring sketch, having been on since the show's first broadcast, and is typically presented in the middle of the show immediately after the first musical performance...
segment of the American sketch show, Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
(Replaced Carrie at the news desk from 17 August 2009 onwards).
Judith Lucy presented by Judith Lucy. Lucy delivers a satirical and comedic commentary on a personal or newsworthy topic (Replaced Hughsey! from 17 August 2009 onwards).
Throughout each show, Rove will interview several celebrity guests. Each interview ends with a segment titled Public Probe where he will ask his guests five different questions that have been posted to the website by the general public. At the end of the interview, Rove would usually spruik the product or event that guest was promoting, and the words The Plug will appear on the screen.
Throughout the course of the show, a variety of other segments are shown, presented by members of the Rove cast:
- Kevin Rudd PM was a small dramatic-comedy mini series about the former Australian Prime Minister Kevin RuddKevin RuddKevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
. The series involves video news clips of Rudd that are spliced together.
Two other segments are occasionally shown, not necessarily every week.
- Hamish & Andy Comedians Hamish BlakeHamish BlakeHamish Donald Blake is an Australian comedian, actor, author and bodybuilder from Melbourne, Australia. Since 2003, he has worked with Andy Lee as part of the comedy duo Hamish and Andy. The pair have performed live and on television and radio, most notably with their drive-time radio program...
and Andy LeeAndy Lee (comedian)Andrew Thomas "Andy" Lee is an Australian comedian. He usually works alongside Hamish Blake as part of the comedy duo Hamish & Andy.-Personal background:...
presented a pre-recorded report, frequently on location overseas.
- Ryan SheltonRyan SheltonRyan Shelton is an Australian comedian, actor, radio presenter, television personality, host and writer.- Biography :He attended St Leonards College for some of his schooling, where he met Hamish Blake...
also presented a segment known as Philosophisationing with Ryan Shelton.
The final segment of the show was What Have We Learnt?, in which each cast member, and usually each guest, give a humourus example of what they have learned during the week. Peter Helliar
Peter Helliar
Peter Jason Matthew Helliar is an Australian comedian, actor and writer. Most famous for his work on television as Rove McManus' sidekick on The Loft Live from 1997 to 1998 and on Rove from 1999 and 2009...
always answers last and ends with "and you can read all about it in my new book..."
The show will usually end with a live performance from a band in the studio, and McManus will end the show by saying his trademark line "Say hi to your mum for me!". Starting in 2005 the band performs before the closing credits
Closing credits
Closing credits or end credits are added at the end of a motion picture, television program, or video game to list the cast and crew involved in the production. They usually appear as a list of names in small type, which either flip very quickly from page to page, or move smoothly across the...
. In previous years the credits would roll while the band performed. In 2006, Rove had a house band, which may have been the same band as the main act, or an Australian band of much smaller stature than the main act. They would play live music when returning from ad breaks.
Former show elements
- 20 bucks in 20 seconds was a titled segment at the end of an interiew with a guest where Rove would ask unordinary questions for twenty seconds. Once the time was up, Rove would always ask the question; "Who would you turn gay for?" unless the guest was openly gay, in which case Rove would ask; "Who would you turn straight for?". A popular solution to this question was to respond "I'd turn gay for you, Rove". In a particular episode featuring known prankster and member of The ChaserThe ChaserThe Chaser are an Australian satirical comedian group, known for their television programmes on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation channel. The group take their name from their production of satirical newspaper, a publication known to challenge conventions of taste...
team, Chas LicciardelloChas LicciardelloChas John Licciardello is a comedian from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, best known for being a member of satirical team The Chaser...
, Licciardello expressed his annoyance that everyone answered "I'd turn gay for you, Rove" but that nobody ever followed up on it. He then leapt on Rove and French kissed him, before licking Rove on the face. This segment was again replaced by Final Five in 2009, and halfway through the 2009 series, it changed once again and became the "Public Probe", where Rove would ask the guest 5 questions submitted online from the public.
- Amazing Talents: Viewers with 'amazing' (or just plain bizarre) 'talentTalent showA talent show is an event where participants perform their talent or talents of acting, singing, dancing, acrobatics, drumming, martial arts, playing an instrument, and other activities to showcase a unique form of talent, sometimes for a reward, trophy or prize...
s' are brought to the studio and given a few minutes to display their skills. This could be balancing lawn furniture, or nailing a fork into each nostril. This is comparable to the "Stupid Human Tricks" segment on The Late Show with David Letterman.
- Carrie at the Newsdesk was a parodyParodyA parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
news report, similar to the long-running Weekend UpdateWeekend UpdateWeekend Update is a Saturday Night Live sketch that comments on and parodies current events. It is the show's longest running recurring sketch, having been on since the show's first broadcast, and is typically presented in the middle of the show immediately after the first musical performance...
segment of the American sketch show, Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
. The segment had been presented by a variety of personalities in Bickmore's absence. While on maternity leaveParental leaveParental leave is an employee benefit that provides paid or unpaid time off work to care for a child or make arrangements for the child's welfare. Often, the term parental leave includes maternity, paternity, and adoption leave...
in 2007, Bickmore was replaced by Jane HallJane Hall (actress)Jane Hall is an Australian actress and comedian.-Biography:Born in Melbourne, Hall grew up in the Dandenong Ranges....
and Meshel LaurieMeshel LaurieMeshel Laurie is an Australian comedian and radio-television personality. She was born in Toowoomba, Queensland.Laurie moved to Melbourne early in her career as a stand-up comic to take advantage of its strong comedy industry/community. Her first Melbourne International Comedy Festival show was...
. In 2008, Bert NewtonBert NewtonAlbert Watson "Bert" Newton, AM, MBE is an Australian television personality, known for hosting television series such as In Melbourne Tonight, Good Morning Australia and 20 to 1. Newton has also hosted the Logie Awards on numerous occasions through his career.-Early life:Newton was born in...
and Myf WarhurstMyf WarhurstMyfanwy "Myf" Warhurst is an Australian radio announcer and television personality, best known for her work at Triple J and on ABC Television's music-themed quiz show Spicks and Specks. Before her career as a radio announcer and TV personality, she was editor-in-chief of Melbourne street press...
have presented the segment when Bickmore was ill.
- Final Five where he will ask his guests five different questions and often include their opinion on something that has happened during the week in popular culture (such as asking Alan CummingAlan CummingAlan Cumming, OBE is a Scottish stage, television and film actor, singer, writer, director, producer and author. His roles have included the Emcee in Cabaret, Boris Grishenko in GoldenEye, Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler in X2: X-Men United, Mr. Elton in Emma, and Fegan Floop in the Spy Kids trilogy...
what he thought of Matthew NewtonMatthew NewtonMatthew Newton is an Australian stage and screen actor. Born in Melbourne, he is the son of television personalities, Bert and Patti Newton, brother of Lauren Newton, brother-in-law of Matt Welsh and uncle to Sam Albert and Eva Eunice Newton Welsh.-Acting:Newton has performed in Australia and...
's bum in Underbelly: A Tale of Two CitiesUnderbelly: A Tale of Two CitiesUnderbelly: A Tale of Two Cities is a 13-part Australian television mini-series loosely based on real events that stemmed from the marijuana trade centred around the New South Wales town of Griffith. The timeline of the series is the years between 1976 and 1987. Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities...
). The last question was always a visual question where Rove will show the interviewee an unusual image and ask them to say what they think about the image.
- Flick Your Switch: The show broadcasts a live video shot of an area of an Australian city. Rove then asks those residents of the area who are watching the show and willing to respond to flick their houselights on and off, sometimes to give answers to questions.
- Guides: Rove, Pete and Corinne created guidesGuide bookA guide book is a book for tourists or travelers that provides details about a geographic location, tourist destination, or itinerary. It is the written equivalent of a tour guide...
to help people. The guides they did were: Guide To Having A Baby, Guide To Driving, Guide To Breaking Up, Guide To House Hunting and Guide To Job Interviews.
- Hang Up, Don't Hang Up: Rove called a regular audience member from a different time zoneTime zoneA time zone is a region on Earth that has a uniform standard time for legal, commercial, and social purposes. In order for the same clock time to always correspond to the same portion of the day as the Earth rotates , different places on the Earth need to have different clock times...
, and tried to engage in conversation. However, during the call Peter Helliar revealed random instructions from the keypad of an oversized phone prop. For example, Sing your words, or Make the live-lister say the word 'bucket. If Peter pulled out Hang up, Rove hung up and ended the call without saying goodbye or even finishing his sentence.
- Hot Topic: A vox populiVox populiVox populi , a Latin phrase that literally means voice of the people, is a term often used in broadcasting for interviews with members of the "general public".-Vox pop, the man on the street:...
segment, in which purportedly random people were asked their opinions. These answers were evidently scripted, and many of their responses included references to Network TenNetwork TenNetwork Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
shows.
- Hughesy! was presented by Dave HughesDave HughesDavid William "Hughesy" Hughes is an Australian stand-up comedian, radio and television presenter. He is currently co-host on the Network Ten's The Project and Before the Game as well as the breakfast radio show Hughesy and Kate.-Television:Hughes co-hosted the ABC comedy talk show The Glass House...
. Hughes delivered a satirical and comedic commentary on a personal or newsworthy topic.
- Hughesy Loses It: Dave HughesDave HughesDavid William "Hughesy" Hughes is an Australian stand-up comedian, radio and television presenter. He is currently co-host on the Network Ten's The Project and Before the Game as well as the breakfast radio show Hughesy and Kate.-Television:Hughes co-hosted the ABC comedy talk show The Glass House...
engaged in a weekly rant about something trivial, this is very similar to Nickelodeon's "Dave's Raves" a years prior by Dave LawsonDave LawsonDave Lawson is an Australian comedian and TV and radio personality. He is currently participating in a talk back radio segment on the Nova 100 Australian commercial radio station, and is also a regular performer on the stand up comedy circuit...
on SarvoSarvoSarvo was an after-school show for kids on Nickelodeon Australia, it was hosted by Maude Garrett and Kyle Linahan, until it was cancelled in Late 2007...
. He often used the catchphrase 'Seriously!'
- Help Me Hughesy!: Dave HughesDave HughesDavid William "Hughesy" Hughes is an Australian stand-up comedian, radio and television presenter. He is currently co-host on the Network Ten's The Project and Before the Game as well as the breakfast radio show Hughesy and Kate.-Television:Hughes co-hosted the ABC comedy talk show The Glass House...
responded humorously to viewer questions, frequently with taped reports.
- I Want My Stuff Back: Rove helps a 'Live Lister' receive back property that they have lent to someone.
- It Takes You: Parody of It Takes Two, in which Rove picked a member of the audience to sing with a celebrity. This segment appeared once on 3 June 2007. The professional was Dean GeyerDean GeyerDean Stanley Geyer is an Australian Singer-Songwriter and Actor who came third in the 2006 season of the talent show television series, Australian Idol.-Early life:...
.
- Live List: Viewers can register their nameNameA name is a word or term used for identification. Names can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context. A personal name identifies a specific unique and identifiable individual person, and may or may not include a middle name...
, addressAddress (geography)An address is a collection of information, presented in a mostly fixed format, used for describing the location of a building, apartment, or other structure or a plot of land, generally using political boundaries and street names as references, along with other identifiers such as house or...
and various other details on the show's website to join the Live List. A broadcast team will occasionally visit a viewer (the first the viewer knows about it is when they see the front of their house live on television). What happens from then on varies greatly—from performing a quick two-minute interview live from their house, to being sent away to perform a certain task (usually to win a prize), sometimes being sent as far away as FijiFijiFiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, New York City or the United Kingdom.
- My Charader: CharadesCharadesCharades or charade is a word guessing game. In the form most played today, it is an acting game in which one player acts out a word or phrase, often by pantomiming similar-sounding words, and the other players guess the word or phrase. The idea is to use physical rather than verbal language to...
. The title is a play on the song "My SharonaMy Sharona"My Sharona" is the debut single by The Knack, released in 1979 from their album Get the Knack. It reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart where it remained for six weeks and was #1 on Billboards Top Pop Singles of 1979 year-end chart. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry...
" by The KnackThe KnackThe Knack was an American New Wave rock quartet based in Los Angeles that rose to fame with their first single, "My Sharona", an international number one hit in 1979.-Founding :...
. The game is hosted by Rove and involves two teams. Before Corinne GrantCorinne GrantCorinne Grant is an Australian comedian and television presenter.-Career:After briefly studying as a nurse in Wodonga, she embarked upon a career as an actor in Melbourne, obtaining a degree in drama. After graduating, Grant started doing stand-up comedy to overcome her stage-fright. Her first...
left the show, she and a guest would play on one team, and Peter HelliarPeter HelliarPeter Jason Matthew Helliar is an Australian comedian, actor and writer. Most famous for his work on television as Rove McManus' sidekick on The Loft Live from 1997 to 1998 and on Rove from 1999 and 2009...
and a guest on the other team.
- Not So Frequently Asked Questions: Rove, Peter and Corinne are asked questions that aren't asked very often. This usually ends with a pre-recorded skit.
- The Pentagon Of Probable Embarrassment: Rove has an audience member spin a wheel with a one in five chance of winning $5000, although the other four items on the wheel are repelling. Other items on the wheel included: "Breakfast in your pants", "Kiss Pete's Grandma", "Soup on your head", "Eat a Fish Eye" and "Mega-Wedgie".
- Petesclusive: Peter Helliar will chat to a 'guest' (celebrity or world figure) who has recently been involved in a famous story or scandal. Helliar's guests are a photograph of the famous person with his or her mouth digitally replaced by Rove's mouth. This is similar to a regular bit on Late Night with Conan O'BrienLate Night with Conan O'BrienLate Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
.
- Ron's Review: 78-year-old Ron StewardRon StewardRon Steward born 1927 is a former Australian media personality. He made an odd but regular appearance on the Australian television show, Rove Live as a movie reviewer. He has had a long involvement with the film industry since the 1940s, when he packed films and put them on the trains going out for...
reviewed a new movie and a rating out of 5 stars. Ron's Review occurred around every three weeks. Peter Helliar also reviews the same movie. The main humorous appeal of this segment was the fact that Ron was quite an elderly man which led to a variety of jokes regarding Ron's age, which, although many were at his own expense, he appeared to take in good humor. Another humorous part of the segment is Ron's ever recurring rating of 3 and a half stars (out of 5). In 2006 Rove conducted a semi-humorous campaign to have Ron nominated for the best newcomer Logie AwardLogie AwardThe TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
.
- Rove's Audience's Got Talent: Parody of Australia's Got TalentAustralia's Got TalentAustralia's Got Talent is an Australian reality television talent show which premiered on 18 February 2007 on the Seven Network. The show was based on the Got Talent series format that originated in the United Kingdom with Simon Cowell...
, where Rove plucked a member of the audience and put them into a performance utilising a particular talent. Peter Helliar, Dave Hughes and a celebrity guest acted as judges. This segment has only occurred twice.
- Roving with Rove: A pre-recorded vox populiVox populiVox populi , a Latin phrase that literally means voice of the people, is a term often used in broadcasting for interviews with members of the "general public".-Vox pop, the man on the street:...
segment in which McManus asks people in street for their thoughts.
- Rydeas: Comedian Ryan SheltonRyan SheltonRyan Shelton is an Australian comedian, actor, radio presenter, television personality, host and writer.- Biography :He attended St Leonards College for some of his schooling, where he met Hamish Blake...
presented a new invention or idea, often incorporating the syllable 'Ry'.
- So Rove's Audience Thinks They Can Dance: Parody of So You Think You Can DanceSo You Think You Can Dance (U.S. TV series)So You Think You Can Dance is an American dance competition and reality show that airs on Fox in the United States.The series first premiered on July 20, 2005, and was created by American Idol producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe and is produced by 19 Entertainment and Dick Clark Productions...
, where Rove picks a member of the audience, dresses him or her in an unusual costume, and forces him/her to dance. Like It Takes You, this segment has only appeared once.
- Sex Office: a drama/sitcom style television show set in the 1970s, in which everyone in the office (except one individual) is engaging in frequent casual sexCasual sexCasual sex or hooking up refers to certain types of human sexual activity outside the context of a romantic relationship. The term is not always used consistently: some use it to refer to any extramarital sex, some use it to refer to sex in a casual relationship, whereas others reserve its use for...
.
- Tell Us Where To Go: At a viewer's request, Corinne Grant was sent on location somewhere in Australia to witness a local event, to see a local landmark or to meet a local personality. The segment is pre-recorded and introduced by Rove and Corinne in front of a large map of Australia (without TasmaniaTasmaniaTasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
) lowered onto the stage. At the end of the segment, Corinne gives Rove a present from the adventure (something sexual or inappropriate or both), and a magnet is placed on the drop-down map approximately where the location was. Due to Australia being very closely populated on the eastern coast, and southeastern corner in particular, the "approximate" placement of the magnets has been evermore loosely interpreted. This segment was dropped with the departure of Grant in 2005.
- Two Minutes at Your House: In addition to being chosen to participate in stuntStuntA stunt is an unusual and difficult physical feat, or any act requiring a special skill, performed for artistic purposes in TV, theatre, or cinema...
s and contestCompetitionCompetition is a contest between individuals, groups, animals, etc. for territory, a niche, or a location of resources. It arises whenever two and only two strive for a goal which cannot be shared. Competition occurs naturally between living organisms which co-exist in the same environment. For...
s, "Live List-ers", as they are referred to, may be visited by the show's camera crew for a live crossover to their house lasting about two minutes. In reality, these segments are often well beyond the suggested two minutes, as the timer doesn't commence counting down until the person has been verified to be at home, and Rove tells the clock to start. If a particular story isn't finished, pet not shown, or talent not displayed, the segment will often continue even if the timer has expired. Some broadcasts have hinted at prior planning of the segment.
- What's Hot, What's Not: Rove would describe something that is hot (popular) at the moment and compare it with something that is not (e.g. What's Hot – LamborghiniLamborghiniAutomobili Lamborghini S.p.A., commonly referred to as Lamborghini , is an Italian car manufacturer. The company was founded by manufacturing magnate Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963, with the objective of producing a refined grand touring car to compete with established offerings from marques like...
s. What's Not – Lamb Bikinis. What's Hot – Desperate HousewivesDesperate HousewivesDesperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
. "What's Not" – Dentist Archives).
- What the...?: Rove receives viewer submissions of objects that might make one say "What the...?" The submissions could be newspaperNewspaperA newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
clippings, DVD boxes, photosPhotographA photograph is an image created by light falling on a light-sensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic imager such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are created using a camera, which uses a lens to focus the scene's visible wavelengths of light into a reproduction of...
of odd signsInformation signAn information sign is a very legibly printed and very noticeable placard that informs people of the purpose of an object, or gives them instruction on the use of something. An example is a traffic sign such as a stop sign....
or animals doing inappropriate things to each other. Many are mistakes of translationEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
from foreign languages or other unintentional humorUnintentional humorUnintentional humor is the act of making other people laugh without actually meaning to. There are several different kinds of unintentional humor that arise out of various situations.-Unintended contradiction:...
. This segment was abandoned in 2007.
- Who's in the Swivel Chair?: A celebrity was pushed around the studio on a swivel chairSwivel chairA swivel or revolving chair is a chair with a single central leg that allows the seat to spin around.- Types :Swivel chairs can have wheels on the base allowing the user to move the chair around their work area without getting up. This type is common in modern offices and are often also referred to...
. Each week the name of the celebrity was announced by Bruce MansfieldBruce Mansfield-Early career:Mansfield began in radio with stints on stations including 3UZ, 3KZ, 3AW and 3XY in the 1960s. He later moved to television appearing on The Graham Kennedy Show on GTV-9 in the early 1970s...
.
- Words that sound better when said by Dave: Dave CallanDave CallanDave Callan is a comedian based in Perth, Australia. He currently works as a Triple J disc jockey.- Biography :Callan was born in Dundalk, Ireland, and arrived in Australia in 1990, aged 15...
recited certain words and names which, owing to his thick Irish accent, sound quaint to the Australian audience. The sketch was abandoned when Callan left after the first series in 2000. Some of Callan's famous words include: 'trousers', 'haberdashery', 'Archbishop Desmond Tutu' and 'man-boob'.
- Joke credits: At the end of every episode there were fake credits shown with the real credits. There was a common theme for the credits each week.
- Song parodies: Rove performs a parody of a recent music video. He has parodied Shannon NollShannon NollShannon Noll first came to prominence as runner-up of the first series of Australian Idol which led to him being signed to Sony BMG. Since then he has released five Top 10 albums and ten Top 10 singles. His first two albums That's What I'm Talking About in 2004 and Lift in 2005 debuted at No...
's What About MeWhat About Me (song)"What About Me" is a song written by Garry Frost and Frances Swan, first recorded by Australian rock band Moving Pictures from their album Days of Innocence. It was the band's first number-one single in Australia spending six consecutive weeks on the top; there, it was the second-highest selling...
, Missy HigginsMissy HigginsMelissa "Missy" Morrison Higgins is an Australian pop singer-songwriter, musician and actor. Her No. 1 albums in Australia are The Sound of White and On a Clear Night , and her Top Ten singles are "Scar", "The Special Two", "Steer" and "Where I Stood". From a musical family in...
's Scar, Britney SpearsBritney SpearsBritney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
' Oops!… I Did It Again and Sophie Ellis Bextor's Murder on the dancefloorMurder on the Dancefloor"Murder on the Dancefloor" is a song written by Gregg Alexander and Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Alexander and Matt Rowe for Ellis-Bextor's first album Read My Lips. After the release of "Take Me Home" in August 2001, Ellis-Bextor released her best-selling single to date in December 2001...
.
- Sketches: Rove, Pete and Corinne Grant performed three sketches on the show together. The first one was about a sleepover, the second was about wheelchair rugby and the third was about horse racing.
Ratings
The show has sometimes struggled in the ratings. This was most obvious in the ratings for the final show of 2005, which was broadcast on 22 November. The show gave away six cars, and had media heavyweights Bert NewtonBert Newton
Albert Watson "Bert" Newton, AM, MBE is an Australian television personality, known for hosting television series such as In Melbourne Tonight, Good Morning Australia and 20 to 1. Newton has also hosted the Logie Awards on numerous occasions through his career.-Early life:Newton was born in...
, Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld
Jerome Allen "Jerry" Seinfeld is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and television and film producer, known for playing a semi-fictional version of himself in the situation comedy Seinfeld , which he co-created and co-wrote with Larry David, and, in the show's final two seasons,...
and Kath & Kim
Kath & Kim
Kath & Kim is a Logie Award-winning character-driven Australian television situation comedy series. The series was created by, and is written by Jane Turner and Gina Riley who play the title characters: a suburban mother and daughter with a dysfunctional relationship...
as guests. The show rated 19th for the day, with only 797,000 viewers nationwide.
On 16 May 2006, the ratings peaked over a million for the first time since 2002 when 1,040,762 viewers watched nationwide. This episode involved an intruder entering the Big Brother house live during the show. The final episode for 2006 attracted only 700,000 viewers nationally. This wasn't intended to be the final episode, but eventuated as the result of the death of McManus' wife Belinda Emmett
Belinda Emmett
Belinda 'Belle' Jane Emmett was an Australian actress and singer. She was married to television personality Rove McManus and was known for her roles in the TV drama series Home and Away and All Saints.-Early life:...
.
The first episode of the revamped series, which began 1 April 2007, attracted 1,693,000 viewers nationwide, and was the highest rating program for the day. For the second episode of the season which aired on 8 April, viewership fell to 999,000. The third episode was shown on 22 April achieving around 1,073,000 viewers. Since then, the show has consistently rated above 1,000,000 viewers nationally.
Rove's final show for 2007 featured then Leader of the Opposition Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
, as well as Australian Greens
Australian Greens
The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...
leader Bob Brown
Bob Brown
Robert James Brown is an Australian senator, the inaugural Parliamentary Leader of the Australian Greens and was the first openly gay member of the Parliament of Australia...
, comedian Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld
Jerome Allen "Jerry" Seinfeld is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and television and film producer, known for playing a semi-fictional version of himself in the situation comedy Seinfeld , which he co-created and co-wrote with Larry David, and, in the show's final two seasons,...
and actor Jason Donovan
Jason Donovan
Jason Donovan is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap opera Neighbours, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 million records, and his début album Ten Good Reasons was one of the highest-selling albums of 1989...
. It was watched by 1.368 million viewers. The season premiere for 2008, broadcast on 30 March, only attracted 777,000 viewers.
855,000 viewers watched the 2009 return of Rove, up nearly 100,000 viewers on the previous year. Ratings frequently average 800,000–1 million viewers.
International broadcasters
In 2004, the show began broadcasting on TV3TV3 (New Zealand)
TV3 is a New Zealand commercial television network, owned by MediaWorks New Zealand. Launched on 26 November 1989, the first private television network in New Zealand...
in New Zealand at a late night time slot. The show quickly gained a following and it was given a Friday prime time slot (8:30pm–9:30pm). It was not broadcast live
Live television
Live television refers to a television production broadcast in real-time, as events happen, in the present. From the early days of television until about 1958, live television was used heavily, except for filmed shows such as I Love Lucy and Gunsmoke. Video tape did not exist until 1957...
in New Zealand (in spite of its former title Rove Live) but rather five days after the Australian broadcast.
Controversy
On 28 June 2009, McManus interviewed Sacha Baron CohenSacha Baron Cohen
Sacha Noam Baron Cohen is an English stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and voice artist. He is most widely known for his portrayal of three unorthodox fictional characters: Ali G, Borat, and Brüno...
(appearing in character as Bruno
Bruno (character)
Brüno Gehard , sometimes written as Bruno and Brueno, is a fictional character portrayed by English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. The character, a flamboyantly gay Austrian fashion reporter, first appeared during short sketches on The Paramount Comedy Channel in 1998, before reappearing on Da Ali G...
). During the course of the interview, Bruno joked that "I hear [Cohen's] wife gets less sex than Katie Holmes
Katie Holmes
Katherine Noelle "Katie" Holmes is an American actress who first achieved fame for her role as Joey Potter on The WB television teen drama Dawson's Creek from 1998 to 2003. Her movie roles have included the blockbuster Batman Begins along with art house films such as The Ice Storm and thrillers...
". However, when televised, the words "Katie Holmes" were censored. A further joke at the expense of Holmes towards the end of the interview was not even televised. Throughout the interview, Bruno
Bruno (character)
Brüno Gehard , sometimes written as Bruno and Brueno, is a fictional character portrayed by English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. The character, a flamboyantly gay Austrian fashion reporter, first appeared during short sketches on The Paramount Comedy Channel in 1998, before reappearing on Da Ali G...
made numerous jokes about other celebrities especially Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
. These jokes were not similarly censored.
Radio
Rove, Peter and Corinne hosted a radio program originating from FOX FM in Melbourne for Austereo's Today NetworkToday Network
The Today Network is a network of Contemporary Hit Radio stations run by Southern Cross Austereo in Australia.-Affiliates:-History:The Today Network started when the Austereo Radio Network secured the first commercial FM licence in Adelaide in 1980. Austereo launched a station called Double SA FM,...
, and selected regional stations until 2004. It was initially known as Saturday Morning Rove. It was then called Rove Live Radio.
Soundtracks
Two soundtracks have been released featuring musical performances from the show, as well as a compilation of Rove's What The?, and a rap song about Home and AwayHome and Away
Home and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
character Alf.
The Rap song was recorded by John Von Ahlen and Jaime Jimenez at Subterrane Recording Studio under the guise of Planet J Productions, and included backing vocals by the late Belinda Emmett.
John and Jaime also produced the theme music for Rove Live from 2003 through till the show's revamp in 2007.