Dermot O'Leary | |
|---|---|
 O'Leary atWaterstones, London in 2024 | |
| Born | Sean Dermot O'Leary (1973-05-24)24 May 1973 (age 52) Colchester,Essex, England |
| Citizenship | Ireland United Kingdom |
| Occupation | Broadcaster |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Employers | |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
Sean Dermot O'Leary (born 24 May 1973) is a British and Irish broadcaster. He currently co-presentsITV'sThis Morning on Fridays, school holidays and bank holidays alongsideAlison Hammond. He presented the talent show competitionThe X Factor on ITV from 2007 until its final series in 2018, with the exception of 2015.
O'Leary began his radio career working as adisc jockey atEssex Radio. From 2001 to 2003, he was a presenter for London'sindie rock stationXFM. O'Leary joinedBBC Radio 2 in 2004 and currently presents the Saturday morning breakfast show[1] and since April 2022Alternative Sounds of the 90's.[2]
Sean Dermot O'Leary[3] was born on 24 May 1973 inColchester, Essex,[4] the son of Irish parents Maria and Seán, both fromCounty Wexford.[5] He spent many of his childhood summers in County Wexford and has always had an Irish passport.[6] He attended primary school inMarks Tey in Essex and later joinedSt Benedict's Catholic College in Colchester. His complacent attitude at school caused him to fail all but two of hisGCSEs.[7] Following that, O'Leary re-took his school-leaving qualifications. This allowed him to later start his A-Level courses atColchester Sixth Form College. He eventually studied for a degree in Media Studies with Politics atMiddlesex University.[8]
Growing up, he was a member ofThe Boys' Brigade Christian youth organisation.[9] When he was in his late teens, he playedAmerican football for theColchester Gladiators and theIpswich Cardinals, where he wore the number 32.[10][11]
O'Leary started as adisc jockey atBBC Essex, before becoming arunner on the TV showLight Lunch withMel Giedroyc andSue Perkins, and then a presenter atChannel 4 as part of the original presenting line-up of the channel'sT4 strand. He moved on to presentBig Brother's Little Brother (the companion show toBig Brother) onE4 from 2001 onwards. Also in 2001, O'Leary appeared onLily Savage'sBlankety Blank.[12] In 2004, O'Leary hosted thereality television seriesShattered.
On 29 March 2007, it was announced that O'Leary would replaceKate Thornton as the new host ofITV'sThe X Factor for at least two series. On 27 March 2015, O'Leary confirmed that he had quitThe X Factor after eight years to pursue other projects. Via his Twitter account, he said:
Good afternoon. After eight wonderful years onThe X Factor it's time for me to move on. I'd like to thank ITV, Simon,The X Factor family and particularly the viewers, all of whom have been a big part of my life for so long. I'd like to wish the team all the best for the future, especially whoever takes over from me.
O'Leary was replaced byOlly Murs andCaroline Flack, who previously co-hostedThe Xtra Factor, the behind-the-scenes companion programme, together in 2011 and 2012.[13]
On 29 March 2016, O'Leary returned toThe X Factor as a presenter, replacing Murs and Flack, for the show's13th series. In a statement, he said:
"I'm very flattered to be asked back to The X Factor, and am currently dusting off my dancing shoes. There is nothing more exciting than hosting live TV on a Saturday night. The show is naturally very close to my heart, after having hosted it for 8 years. I’m really looking forward to it, and excited to be back."[14]
From 2010 to 2019, O'Leary presented theNational Television Awards for ITV. Since 2010, O'Leary has hostedSoccer Aid on ITV, a celebrity football match in aid of the charityUnicef. In 2011, O'Leary hosted the Saturday night entertainment showThe Marriage Ref on ITV. In September 2013, O'Leary hostedBRITs Icon: Elton John, a one-off music celebration for ITV.
In 2013, O'Leary presented the ITV campaignFrom the Heart, which encouraged viewers to consider organ donation. In January 2014, O'Leary filled in forPhillip Schofield for a week when he guest presentedThis Morning oppositeHolly Willoughby.[15]
In 2017, O'Leary co-presented the 37thBRIT Awards withEmma Willis. In March 2017, O'Leary guest-presented nine episodes ofThe Nightly Show on ITV.
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In November 2020, it was announced thatEamonn Holmes andRuth Langsford had been dropped from their Friday slot onThis Morning after 14 years.Alison Hammond and O'Leary were announced to takeover the slot later that month.[16] They presented their first show in January 2021.
On 27 November 2007, it was announced thatBig Brother: Celebrity Hijack was to be O'Leary's last series ofBig Brother. After seven years, he made his finalBig Brother appearance on 28 January 2008.
In March 2007, O'Leary signed a year-long contract with Channel 4 to appear onHollyoaks.[citation needed] However, this was shortened after a series of disputes on set. Jim Rowe, a series writer at the time, said, "He couldn't follow even the simplest commands. It goes to show how vastly different presenting is to acting". O'Leary hasn't acted since.[citation needed] In 2009, O'Leary presented an episode ofThe Paul O'Grady Show, standing in forPaul O'Grady.
In March 2014, O'Leary made a return to Channel 4, where he presented theLive From Space season for three consecutive nights.[17]
O'Leary was a presenter forComic Relief in 2005, 2011 and 2013. He also presentedSport Relief in 2012. In August 2006, O'Leary signed a deal to present the game show1 vs. 100, which aired on Saturday nights onBBC One in combination withThe National Lottery Draws.
In May 2009, O'Leary became the presenter ofMatt Lucas andDavid Walliams's showRock Profile on BBC.[18]
In March 2010, O'Leary hosted a spin-off edition of the BBC One showQuestion Time aimed at first time voters, which aired onBBC Three.[19] He also presentedDermot Meets..., a series which saw him interview the likes ofDavid Cameron,Gordon Brown, andNick Clegg.
In November 2015, O'Leary replacedTerry Wogan onChildren in Need due to Wogan's cancer-related ill health, from which he died a couple of months later.[20]
In 2016, O'Leary presented the BBC One Saturday night game showThe Getaway Car. The series was filmed in November 2015 and began airing in January 2016.[21] He has also guest-presented two episodes ofThe One Show withAlex Jones.
O'Leary joined London'sindie rock stationXFM in 2001, firstly presenting weekday mid-mornings from 10 am to 1 pm, before moving to a Saturday evening show in mid-2002, where he remained until late 2003.
O'Leary joinedBBC Radio 2 in September 2004, presenting a Saturday afternoon show titledDermot's Saturday Club, which ran from 2 pm to 4 pm. Following a number of changes to the length and timing of O'Leary's programme, due in part to the arrival ofChris Evans to Radio 2 and his role as presenter ofThe X Factor, his show was broadcast between 3 pm and 6 pm from April 2009[citation needed] until its end on 21 January 2017. It focused on new music and had featured live sessions. O'Leary also hosted Radio 2's coverage of the BRIT Awards andSouth by Southwest. He wonSony Gold Awards for Music Programme of the Year in 2008, 2010, and 2013.[22]
Since March 2017, O'Leary has presented the Saturday morning breakfast show on BBC Radio 2 between 8 am and 10 am, taking over the slot fromBrian Matthew andSounds of the 60s, which moved to an earlier time of 6am withTony Blackburn as presenter.[1] Since April 2022 he has presented the weekly showAlternative Sounds of the 90s with Dermot O'Leary.[23]
In March 2009, O'Leary introducedMichael Jackson to an audience of fans atThe O2 in what turned out to be Jackson's final public appearance beforehis death.[24][25]
In 2015, he was named one ofGQ's 50 Best Dressed Men in Britain.[26]
He has voiced television advertisements forAmazon Prime. In 2017, he released a children's book calledToto the Ninja Cat and the Great Snake Escape.[27] In 2024, he released another children's book calledWings of Glory.[28]
O'Leary openedThe Rodillian Academy in 2001. He is one of nine presidents ofBetter Planet Education[29] and is a patron of the international children's film festivalCineMagic, a registered charity for young people based inBelfast.[30] He has campaigned on behalf ofMake Poverty History, and visitedSierra Leone withCAFOD accompanied by his father. He is also a patron of the male cancer awareness campaignEveryman. In 2003, he played in a charity match for the Colchester Gladiators as apunt returner, helping to raise £2,500 for theBarnardo's children's fund.[31][32]
In 2005, O'Leary ran theLondon Marathon for the third time, completing it for his first time under four hours.
In March 2014, along withJeremy Kyle,Bill Bailey,John Prescott,Richard Osman,Rizzle Kicks,Louis Smith,Levi Roots, andRicky Wilson, O'Learywent commando for charity to raise awareness of testicular cancer. The promo was released on 24 February 2014.[33]
ForRed Nose Day 2015, O'Leary participated in a 24-hour dance to raise money for Comic Relief.[34]
O'Leary married his long-term girlfriend, Dee Koppang, inChiddingstone in September 2012.[35][36] They have one son, Kasper, who was born in June 2020.[37]
In a 2003 interview, O'Leary praised theSocialist Workers Party but quipped that they would "take all of [his] money", so he instead supported theLabour Party.[38] He supportsArsenal F.C.,Celtic F.C.[39] andLondon Irish RFC.[40] He can be heard on theFootballistically Arsenal podcast with his friends and fellow Arsenal fans Dan Baldwin and Boyd Hilton; on the show, it was mentioned that he owns shares in the club. He supportsWexford GAA inGaelic games. During a studio guest appearance onFantasy Football Euro 2004, he spoke of his support for theRepublic of Ireland national football team and thenational rugby union team.
In 2007, O'Leary was anusher at the wedding ofHolly Willoughby.[41] He is a practisingRoman Catholic.[42] In an interview withPeter Stanford of theDaily Telegraph in February 2008, he "cheerfully" admitted using contraception while living with his future wife: "I do get it in the neck from some Catholics who say I am a buffet Catholic, picking and choosing the bits I like or don't like."[43]
O'Leary co-owned the Fishy Fishy restaurants inBrighton andPoole.[44] The Poole restaurant closed in 2013,[45] and the Brighton restaurant closed in 2016.[46]
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| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998–2001 | T4 | Presenter | |
| 1999 | The Dog's Balearics | ||
| 2000 | The Barfly Sessions | ||
| 2000, 2008, 2009 | Never Mind the Buzzcocks | Guest Team Captain / Guest Presenter | 3 episodes |
| 2001–2008 | Big Brother's Little Brother | Presenter | |
| 2002 | Top of the Pops | 2 episodes | |
| 2002–2003 | Re:covered | ||
| 2002–2004 | SAS: Are You Tough Enough? | 3 series | |
| 2003 | Teen Big Brother: The Experiment | ||
| 2004 | Shattered | 7 episodes | |
| 2005, 2011–2013 | Comic Relief | Co-presenter | Annually; 3 episodes |
| 2006 | Morning Glory | Presenter | |
| 2006–2007 | 1 vs. 100 | 2 series | |
| 2007–2014, 2016–2018 | The X Factor | 11 series | |
| 2008 | Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack | ||
| 2009 | Rock Profile | Series 3 | |
| 2010 | Question Time: First Time Voters | One-off episode | |
| Dermot Meets... | 1 series | ||
| A League of Their Own | Guest Team Captain | 2 episodes | |
| 2010–present | Soccer Aid | Co-presenter | Annually; 7 episodes withKirsty Gallacher |
| 2010–2019 | The National Television Awards | Presenter | 10 ceremonies |
| 2011 | Live from the Royal Wedding | One–off episode | |
| The Marriage Ref | 1 series | ||
| 2012 | Sport Relief | Co–presenter | 1 episode, withDavina McCall |
| 2013 | From the Heart | Presenter | One–off episode |
| BRITs Icon: Elton John | |||
| 2014 | Live From Space | Presenter | 3 episodes |
| 2014, 2020 | This Morning | Stand–in Co–presenter | 9 episodes |
| 2015 | Children in Need | Co-presenter | Main role, withTess Daly andFearne Cotton |
| 2016 | The Getaway Car | Presenter | 1 series |
| The One Show | Guest Presenter | 2 episodes | |
| 2017 | BRIT Awards | Co-presenter | 37th event withEmma Willis |
| The Nightly Show | Guest Presenter | 9 episodes | |
| 2018 | The Royal Wedding ofPrince Harry andMeghan Markle | Commentator | 2 episodes |
| Reel Stories: Kylie Minogue | Host | BBC Two programme | |
| 2019 | Icons: The Greatest Person of the 20th Century | Category Presenter ("Advocate") | 2 episodes |
| Small Fortune | Presenter | 1 series | |
| The X Factor: Celebrity | |||
| The X Factor: The Band | |||
| 2020 | One World: Together at Home | Co–presenter | One–off special |
| Goodwood SpeedWeek | Presenter | ||
| 2021 | British Academy Film Awards | Co–presenter | WithEdith Bowman[47] |
| The Pet Show | WithJoanna Page[48] | ||
| An Audience with Arsène Wenger and David Dein | Presenter | One–off special[49] | |
| 48 Hours to Victory | Co-presenter | Three-partChannel 4 series[50] | |
| Reel Stories: Sting | Presenter | BBC Two programme[51] | |
| 2021–present | This Morning | Co-presenter | Fridays; withAlison Hammond |
| 2022 | Reel Stories: Robbie Williams | Presenter | BBC Two programme[52] |
| 2023 | Inside No. 9 | Himself | 1 episode; “Paraskevidekatriaphobia”[53] |
| The Chase forSoccer Aid | Contestant | Soccer Aid celebrity special[54] | |
| Reel Stories:Noel Gallagher | Host | BBC Two programme[55] | |
| Remarkable Places to Eat | Himself | Guest; one episode[56] | |
| 2024 | Saving Lives at Sea in World War II | Presenter | [57] |
| The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer | Contestant | [58] | |
| Reel Stories:Jon Bon Jovi | Host | BBC Two programme[59] | |
| Reel Stories:Shania Twain | Host | BBC Two programme[60] | |
| Dermot O'Leary's Taste of Ireland | Presenter | Food and travel series; second series commissioned[61][62] | |
| 2025 | Silence is Golden | Host | Comedy game show[63] |
| NFL Big Game Night | Host | WithSam Quek andOsi Umenyiora[64] |
| Year | Network | Slot | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–2002 | XFM | Weekday mornings | |
| 2002–2003 | Saturday evenings | Show calledThe Weekender | |
| 2004–2005 | BBC Radio 2 | Saturdays 2 – 4 pm | Show calledDermot's Saturday Club |
| 2005–2006 | Saturdays 5 – 7 pm | ||
| 2006–2007 | Saturdays 4:30 – 6:30 pm | 2 pm – 4 pm (duringThe X Factor months) | |
| 2008–2009 | Saturdays 2 – 5 pm | ||
| 2009–2017 | Saturdays 3 – 6 pm | ||
| 2017– | Saturdays 8 – 10 am | Show calledSaturday Breakfast with Dermot |
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