"Excited" Rove reveals new TV gig
Aussie TV presenter Rove McManus has announced he will be hosting the first Australian series to debut on Disney Plus.
McManus took to Instagram to reveal that he will be the host of a new reality competition where teams of adults and kids are tasked with bringing their own toy stories to life.
“I’m very excited to announce that my new show ‘What’s Your Toy Story?’ is coming to Disney Plus - it will be a celebration of imagination and the creative joy that comes from playing with toys (like I need a reason),” he shared with fans.
Just an hour prior, McManus teased fans with a snap of the Disney logo with the Sydney Harbour Bridge pictured in the background and the caption: “Exciting day today…”.
Colleagues and fellow comedians quickly congratulated McManus, with Project co-host Peter Helliar writing: “This will have all the feels!! Congrats mate.”
“Fantastic news mate .. I have a toy story but it’s not very ‘Disney’ x,” Morning Show host Larry Emdur joked.
The comedian’s latest gig comes two years after his show Saturday Night Live was dropped by Network Ten after just two episodes due to disappointing ratings.
His new show is one of several announced by the streaming giant, with Mirando Otto, Guy Pearce, Teresa Palmer and Deborah Hay among the high-profile Australian talent signing on to a variety of shows about Australian cults, Christmas, and space history.
Disney also announced new documentaries that will follow the likes of the Matildas and the AFLW.
The company has also hinted that more titles are in development, including opportunities in young adult, rom-com and comedy genres.
The investment in new programming comes as the pressure ramps up to impose a government-mandated quota for international streaming services to spend a percentage of Australian revenue on local productions.
Previously, industry advocates including Simon Baker, Screen Producers Australia and Bryan Brown have argued for a 20 percent quota.
In 2021, Baker advocated for a “richer, stronger, more potent Australian voice” during an appearance at federal parliament amid the influx of Hollywood productions using local actors and sets but telling stories set elsewhere.
“It’s very good that foreign companies are coming in and studios are spending a lot of money here,” Baker said. “It’s great for our crews, it’s great for our economy. But it’s a sugar hit.”
Meanwhile, Kylie Watson-Wheeler, Disney’s senior vice president and managing director of the Walt Disney Company in Australia and New Zealand, specifically said the upcoming titles were a reason why a quota isn’t needed.
“The commitment we’re showing through our local commissioning underpins the strong foundation of a long-term relationship we’re building with Australian and New Zealand content creators and the industry as a whole, without the need for quotas or other regulatory intervention,” she said during a showcase event in Sydney.
Image: @rovemcmanus (Instagram)