Why did Neil Patrick Harris decline to host 'The Late Show' after David Letterman makes an exit

Los Angeles: Actor Neil Patrick Harris has revealed that he declined an offer to take over David Letterman after he departs 'The Late Show'.

The 40-year-old former star of 'How I Met Your Mother', which also aired on the Cbs network, says he was at the top of the shortlist to take over for the comedian, who is set to leave his post in 2015, reported Entertainment Weekly. In a recent interview with Howard Stern, Harris said he met with Cbs chairman and CEO Les Moonves to discuss the possibility of the new gig, but ultimately said no due to the routine nature of a nightly job.

Harris said he would "get bored" of the format, adding, "I don't have any interest in doing 'monologue, commercial, sketch, guest, guest musical act, goodnight." He also divulged that Moonves attempted to get him to take over from Scottish funnyman Craig Ferguson, who is also leaving his position on 'The Late Late Show', but again Harris declined.

"It's still nightly. You're still coming up with the same content and now you're just getting bitter that no one's watching it," he said.

While Moonves and fellow Cbs executives have already chosen Stephen Colbert to replace Letterman come next year, Harris told the boss that he would prefer to host a weekly variety show for the network.

Harris is currently taking a brief break from TV to star on Broadway's 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch', for which he was recently nominated for his first Tony Award.