Report: Rove moves into The Project chair
Updated: Rove is set to become a Project co-host with pals Carrie Bickmore & Peter Helliar until December.
- Published by David Knox
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If reports today that Rove McManus is to become the permanent co-host for The Project with pals Carrie Bickmore and Peter Helliar are true, then it should be a ratings boost for TEN.
When McManus guest-hosted in May ratings rose noticeably, above 700,000 viewers.
“If there is one thing that can guarantee to bring me home it is the idea of getting the band back together with Pete and Carrie,” he said at the time.
McManus returning home follows the axing of comedy show Riot in the US, but the chemistry between the three will be good for the show.
The Project, a product of his own company Roving Enterprises, is produced by his longtime business partner Craig Campbell.
News Corp reports he is expected to begin his new role midway through next month as the permanent replacement to Charlie Pickering, who departed in April.
But it notes Matt Doran, who has been one of several guest hosts was left “gutted” when told of the decision. With recent cuts to TEN News it has been a role that has fitted the loyal Doran well.
Other guests hosts have included Matt White, Ray Martin, Wil Anderson, Kate Langbroek and regulars Waleed Aly and Andrew Rochford.
Campbell previously told TV Tonight Pickering would not be immediately replaced until a natural candidate presented themselves.
Update: TEN confirms guest host until December.
“It was fantastic being back doing live TV with Carrie and Pete in May and I couldn’t resist the opportunity to return and co-host again for a few months. Plus I think I left my phone charger in the dressing room,” McManus said.
“It will be great to be able to be part of The Project for the remainder of 2014 as member of the regular team. Everyone involved does such a tremendous job putting the show together and even better for me, I’m essentially working with friends every day.”
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29 Responses
I still want Mike Moore to guest host!
@tvgirl – you do realize it’s his production company behind the show?
I think this is good news but I don’t mind the ‘guest’ hosts they have been having, The Project is an ever evolving show, they can change the hosts and most viewers will adapt.
Rove will take over that show now.
Soon the be The Rove Show. I hope not. I’m bored with his humor. Personally I love Waleed
I Love Rove. i’m super excited.
Matt Doran was great & so was Matt White…I would love to see Matt Doran get the gig on Weekend Today…Cameron Williams doesn’t work for me.
I have watched The Project from the beginning….one of the few programs I have stuck with through all the changes…not religiously, but most of the time…
I actually liked the rotating desk with Carrie as the anchoring force….they only need one comedian at the desk….I did like Dave Hughes…Lemo is fine…
But no….not Rove…I use to watch Rove Live for the guests..but not for this…
Back to Bargain Hunt for now….maybe pick bits of The Project on Tenplay..
Having said that…I am just one viewer….I really do wish TEN well….I really do want them to succeed.
There’s still room for Matt Doran and/or others to host. No one does the job 5 nights a week, Charlie and Carrie certainly didn’t/don’t.
Lehmo is definitely the best in the “comedian’s” chair, as is Tom Gleeson on the odd occasion he’s given the gig, and we’re still stuck with the over-exposed Dave Hughes “on the road”. Rove could be one too many comedians, he doesn’t have the biting wit and intelligence that Charlie has.
I hope Rove voices some opinions instead of just doing jokes. I learned more about him personally from his Enough Rope interview than on his own show. More of that Rove would be interesting to hear from.
Bring on the new doodles!
Nice to have Rove back on our screens….but just hope he does not dominate the other two….just because he owns the company.
I feel with Rove he should be semi permanent. Rove 5 nights a week could be too much. Maybe one day a week can be for guest hosts…..but good ones. Aly, Matt and Ray Martin……It was great to have Ray there. And how about Jana too……that would be great!
I can’t stand Rove, he shouts talks and seems to want to always take control. I really liked Matt Doran.
awesome good to have Rove back on our screens. One of the nicest guys on tv
I have to agree with others here – Rove is incredibly unfunny but of course everyone will guffaw at every lame joke he makes. I’ve actually enjoyed it more since Charlie left and have been enjoying Pete,Lehmo et al. I’ll still watch but thank goodness he’s only on until December.
This is great news for me! Love Rove and love the 3 of them together.
Disappointed for Matt, would have liked to see him given the job.
Why is Rove hosting only til December, surely it would be better to get a “Permanent” host instead?
My 10 cents: Bad move Ten. i know it’s Rove’s show, but he can’t help pulling focus. The balance between comedy, journalism and entertainment gets lopsided. Heliar is enough. Lehmo is my preferred option in the funny chair. Matt Doran was great; the true centre of the panel. Carrie has enough of the warmth and spontaneity, and the guest chair is always a mixed bag. It may bring the show some more eyeballs, but not in my household.
I’m with the others, Rove joining will be the end of me watching, though to be honest the last few weeks I’ve drifted away anyway. The Eggheads and QI repeats on the ABC have taken me away, it’s a good combo and I’ve only tuned in once or twice to the Project since those started.
Hope it works out for TEN though, cannot begrudge them for trying this out, they need to do something to bring people to the station and maybe Rove will do that. Daryl Somers had that affect for Seven when Dancing With The Stars started (it was the begining of Seven’s dominance), so maybe the 2000’s Daryl Somers in Rove will be the beginning for TEN’s turn around.
Me too, since Charlie left I’ve hardly watched, Rove kills it for me, can’t stand him!
I have to admit since Charlie left, I’ve watched The Project less, but with this announcement, it’s permanently off my “things to watch” list. Can’t stand Rove … he’s not funny!
The ratings may have gone up when he guest hosted the first time, but surely that’s just because of the novelty factor – people will get sick of him after a while.
There has been a sense that they have been auditioning people the last few months and at least now there will be closure. I was hoping for another female host to join the team permanently but i guess it was not to be. I did like Matt Duran but he never seemed to relax enough or feel comfortable there to me. Good luck to Rove, its a great program that has been growing steadily so this should add to its success.
Massive day for Ten today with this announcement and the launch of Family Feud. Hopefully this is the beginning of the end of a very dark period for the network.
As a loyal Project viewer, I’ve watched over many years in its many formats/times. It’s one of the few Australian shows I watch and increasingly, one of the few network shows I watch live. However, the moment they introduce Rove, they’ll lose me as a viewer.
I tolerated Dave Hughes when he was on because Pickering was a perfect anchor. When both left the show became a mess. Even if Hellier has been an improvement, the revolving door of guest hosts has been terrible. If they’re settling on Rove it shows a complete lack of thought about what the anchor chair is meant to be. It shouldn’t be filled with someone who is “funny” or light. It should be someone intelligent, well versed in news and issues and who can move from serious to not so serious news. Rove is not this. Doran, Aly or White should have gotten the role. Quality people. Goodbye Project…
He was my least favourite of the bunch. He is suited to solo hosting, hopefully he learns not to cut other people off by booming out an unfunny interjection.
Sure Matt Doran can join Channel 7 to do the weekend news maybe?
I certainly feel for Matt Doran who did an excellent job filling in, but Rove is a massive drawcard. The Project is a great show that has never been able to attract the ratings it should. Rove gives it that opportunity which should give Ten’s primetime schedule the boost it desperately needs.
Matt Doran should have been given the Late News role permanently when Hamish MacDonald kept flitting around. He should have joined Wake Up in a bit to save the show – he would have added a lot to the hosting desk. Hopefully Wanted will return for him to co-host. He is one of Ten’s best talents and needs to be used.