Rumours Rove is on a shortlist to replace Conan O’Brien have popped up again. Confidential reports…

ROVE McManus may be one step closer to turning his US TV dreams into reality, after Hollywood bible Variety named him on a shortlist to replace US talk host Conan O’Brien.

McManus faces stiff competition from two others also believed to be in contention for O’Brien’s late show gig. McManus has been named alongside comic stalwart Jon Stewart, who won support after successfully hosting this year’s Academy Awards.

Hollywood funnyman Dane Cook, who starred in the hit comedy Good Luck Chuck with Jessica Alba, is also in the running, according to the Variety report this week.

O’Brien is leaving his NBC show to take Jay Leno’s seat on The Tonight Show.

McManus was rumoured to be under consideration for that gig too after he was invited to New York twice last year to appear with Leno.

McManus’s spokesman Kevin Whyte told Confidential yesterday: “It’s obviously very exciting when an institution like Variety pops your name on such a shortlist for such an amazing gig.”

Whyte confirmed McManus, in Sydney this weekend to film his Channel 10 show after the So You Think You Can Dance finale, was likely to return to the US after he finished his national one-man stand-up comedy tour, which hits town on May 13 and 14.