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Dermot O'Leary

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Dermot O'Leary
O'Leary at the 2009 auditions of The X Factor in Cardiff, Wales
Born
Seán Dermot Fintan O'Leary, Junior

(1973-05-24) 24 May 1973 (age 51)
Colchester, England
NationalityBritish-Irish
Occupation(s)Television presenter, Radio DJ and Comedian
Years active1999–present
Employer(s)BBC, ITV, Syco TV
Channel 4
BBC Radio 2
TelevisionThe X Factor
(2007-
National Television Awards
(2010-
 Big Brother UK
(2001-2007)
The National Lottery Draws
(2006-2007)
Celebrity Big Brother
(2001-2008)
SpouseDee Koppang (m. 2012)

Seán Dermot Fintan O'Leary, Jr. known as Dermot O'Leary (born 24 May 1973) is an Anglo-Irish television and radio presenter, best known for his current television and radio work with ITV and BBC Radio 2.

O'Leary's radio career began when he worked as a disc jockey at Essex Radio, but is best known for being the presenter of The X Factor on ITV since 2007.

His early television career saw Dermot present the spin-off show Big Brother's Little Brother on Channel 4 between 2001 and 2008, he also presented a number of other Big Brother spin-off shows including Big Brother Africa and Big Brother Around the World.

Between 2006 and 2007, Dermot presented National Lottery game show 1 vs. 100; he was replaced in 2008 by Ben Shephard.

Since 2010, Dermot has annually presented National Television Awards airing live from The O2 Arena and airing on ITV, the awards were previously hosted by Trevor McDonald. In 2011, he hosted seven-part series The Marriage Ref for ITV.

He currently presents his own Saturday afternoon radio show on BBC Radio 2 and hosted the first BRITs Icon television celebration with Elton John in September 2013.

In 2013, Dermot hosted the ITV campaign From the Heart telethon. He guest presented This Morning in January 2014, whilst regular host Phillip Schofield was filming The Cube.

Early life

O'Leary was born in Colchester, England to parents Sean and Marie, who had moved to the United Kingdom from the Republic of Ireland. He is "extremely proud" of his Irish roots and holds dual British and Irish citizenship.[1] He attended primary school in Marks Tey and later St Benedict's Catholic College in Colchester. He admits that his relaxed attitude at school caused him to fail all but two of his GCSEs.[2] Following that, he re-took his school leaving qualifications before starting his A Level courses at Colchester Sixth Form College. He eventually studied for a degree in Media Studies with Politics, at Middlesex University.[3][4]

Growing up, Dermot was a member of The Boys' Brigade.[5]

Career

Television

O'Leary started as a disc jockey at Essex Radio[6] before becoming a runner on the TV show Light Lunch with Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins and then presenter at Channel 4, part of the original presenting line-up of the channel's T4 strand, before moving on to present Big Brother's Little Brother (the companion show to Big Brother) on E4 from 2001 onwards.

On 27 November 2007, it was announced that Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack was to be O'Leary's last series of Big Brother, and that he would not return in summer 2008. After seven years he made his final Big Brother appearance on 28 January 2008.

In August 2006, O'Leary signed a deal to present the game show 1 vs. 100, which aired on Saturday nights on BBC One in combination with the National Lottery draws.

On 29 March 2007, it was announced that O'Leary would replace Kate Thornton as the new host of ITV's The X Factor for at least two series. Speaking after the announcement he said: "I was very flattered to be offered the job to host such a hugely successful show. I'm really looking forward to working with Simon Cowell and the team on the kind of Saturday night entertainment show I grew up watching." While presenting the show he reportedly upset Celine Dion among other things, later saying he "literally had to shut her up".[7]

In March 2009, O'Leary introduced Michael Jackson to an audience of fans at the The O2 in what turned out to be Jackson's final public appearance before his death.[8][9][10][11]

In May 2009, O'Leary became the new host of Matt Lucas and David Walliams' Rock Profile.[12]

In March 2010, O'Leary hosted a spin-off edition of the BBC One show Question Time, which aired on BBC Three, aimed at first time voters.[13] In June 2010 and May 2012, O'Leary hosted Soccer Aid on ITV, in aid of charity Unicef.

In January 2014, Dermot guest presented This Morning, alongside Holly Willoughby. He stood in for Phillip Schofield for one week whilst he recorded the ITV game show The Cube.[14]

In March 2014, O'Leary presented the Live From Space season on Channel 4 for three consecutive nights on the channel.[15]

Future projects

He has on several occasions expressed interest in hosting the Rose of Tralee,[16][17] particularly after Ray D'Arcy, a host with whom he has exchanged public banter,[18] vacated the role in 2010.[19]

Radio

O'Leary joined London's Indie rock station XFM in 2001 firstly presenting weekday mid-mornings from 10 am–1 pm, before moving to a Saturday evening show in mid-2002, where he remained until late 2003.

He joined BBC Radio 2 in September 2004, presenting a Saturday afternoon show entitled Dermot's Saturday Club which ran from 2pm to 4pm. Following a number of changes to the length and timing of O'Leary's programme, due in part to the arrival of Chris Evans to Radio 2 and his role as presenter of The X Factor, his show has broadcast between 3pm and 6pm since April 2009. [citation needed]

O'Leary's Radio 2 show focuses on new music and live sessions, and has featured live sessions from the likes of Oasis, Supergrass, the Raconteurs, Massive Attack, Kasabian, the Guillemots, the Zutons, Alesha Dixon, Beck, the Lemonheads, Lily Allen, Foo Fighters, the Go! Team, Bloc Party, Ben Kweller, the Magic Numbers, Mynoni and Friends, Moby and Kate Nash. O'Leary also hosts Radio 2's coverage of the Brit Awards and South by Southwest. He won a Sony Gold Award for Music Programme of the Year in 2008 and again in 2010 and 2013.[20]

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1999-2001 T4 Presenter
2001-08 Big Brother's Little Brother Presenter Spin-off from the main show
2006-07 1 vs. 100 Presenter Replaced by Ben Shephard from 2008
2007— The X Factor UK Presenter Replaced Kate Thornton
2008, 2009 Never Mind the Buzzcocks Guest Team Captain/Presenter
2009 The Paul O'Grady Show Guest Presenter Stand-in for Paul O'Grady
2010, 2012 Soccer Aid Presenter
2010 Question Time: First Time Voters Presenter
Dermot Meets... Presenter Interviewed David Cameron, Gordon Brown, Danny Mulhern & Nick Clegg
2010— The National Television Awards Presenter Televised annually in January
2011 Red Nose Day Presenter
Live from the Royal Wedding Presenter
The Marriage Ref Presenter 1 series, 7 episodes
2013 From the Heart Presenter Telethon special
BRITs Icon: Elton John Presenter One-off special
2014 This Morning Guest Presenter Stand-in for one week
Live From Space Presenter Three episode special

Radio

Year Network Slot Notes
2001-02 XFM Weekday Mid-mornings
2002-03 Saturday evenings Show called The Weekender
2004-05 BBC Radio 2 Saturdays 2-4pm Show called Dermot's Saturday Club
2005-06 Saturdays 5-7pm
2006-07 Saturdays 4.30-6.30pm 2pm-4pm (during The X Factor months)
2008-09 Saturdays 2-5pm
2009— Saturdays 3-6pm

Personal life

O'Leary supports Arsenal F.C., Celtic, London Irish RUFC and politically the Labour Party and he has identified himself as a socialist.[21] He can be heard on the 'Footballistically Arsenal' podcast with his friends and fellow Arsenal fans Dan Baldwin and Boyd Hilton, and on this show it was mentioned that he owns shares in the club. He supports Wexford GAA in Gaelic Games, attending matches in the past. During an appearance as a studio guest on Fantasy Football Euro 2004, O'Leary spoke of his support for the Republic of Ireland football team.

When O'Leary was in his late teens, he played American football for his local team, the Colchester Gladiators. In his early years, he was good friends with Lord Gimpett, with whom he lived In London[citation needed]. He ran the 2005 London Marathon (his third) under four hours for the first time. In 2007 he was an usher at the wedding of Holly Willoughby.[22] He is also a practising Roman Catholic, having contributed to the collection of essays Why I am Still Catholic in 2005. In the February 2008 issue of the Irish magazine, Social and Personal, O'Leary was voted the sexiest man in Ireland out of the Top 100. [citation needed]

O'Leary has campaigned on behalf of Make Poverty History, and has visited Sierra Leone with CAFOD accompanied by his father. He is also a patron of the male cancer awareness campaign, Everyman. In 2003, he played in a charity match for the Colchester Gladiators as a punt returner, helping to raise £2,500 for the Barnardo's children's fund.[23][24]

On 19 November 2011 during an episode of The Xtra Factor, it was announced that O'Leary was engaged to his long-term girlfriend Dee Koppang. He married Dee at St Mary's Church, Chiddingstone in Kent, UK on 14 September 2012 arriving at the church in a cream coloured Mercedes-Benz Pagoda. [25] [26][27][28]

On 7 March 2014 Dermot, along with Jeremy Kyle, Bill Bailey, John Prescott, Richard Osman, Rizzle Kicks, Louis Smith, Levi Roots, and Ricky Wilson, all went commando for charity to raise awareness of Testicle Cancer. The promo was released on 24 February 2014.[29]

He co-owns the FishyFishy restaurant in Brighton.[30] The other in Poole was closed in 2013.[31]

O'Leary says his funeral song would be "Tonight We Fly" by the Divine Comedy.[32]

References

  1. ^ "O'Leary talks about his Irish roots". RTÉ News. 15 May 2010.
  2. ^ Sims, Fiona (12 June 2009). "Fishy Fishy: Dermot O'Leary's restaurant is the reel deal". London: The Times. Retrieved 29 June 2009.
  3. ^ "Daily Mail: We're too busy for kids but I do want my career-hungry girlfriend to marry me reveals Dermot". 21 August 2009. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  4. ^ "Colchester's Dermot O'Leary marries on Friday". Essex County Standard. 13 September 2012.
  5. ^ "Dermot discusses his dancing - Live Week 5 - The Xtra Factor 2013". YouTube. 11 November 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  6. ^ [1][dead link‍]
  7. ^ "Dermot O'Leary upsets Celine Dion". RTÉ Entertainment (14 December 2007)
  8. ^ Michael Jackson Announces Plans For Summer Residency At The O2 Arena (Dermot O'Leary) Zimbio (5 March 2009)
  9. ^ Samson, Pete (7 March 2009) What Jacko said to Dermot: Dermot, is the teleprompter on? The Sun
  10. ^ Youngs, Ian (5 March 2009) 'Final curtain call' for Jackson BBC News Online
  11. ^ "Michael Jackson announces O2 Arena London gigs - and retirement?" NME 5 March 2009
  12. ^ Rock Profile:Peter Andre & Jordan Pt.1 Funny or Die
  13. ^ O'Leary to host episode of Question Time. RTÉ Intertainment. 12 February 2010.
  14. ^ "Dermot O'Leary to guest present This Morning in January - TV News". Digital Spy. 5 December 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  15. ^ "Dermot O'Leary fronts Live from Space Season for Channel 4 - TV News". Digital Spy. 9 January 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  16. ^ "Dermot O'Leary wants Rose of Tralee gig". RTÉ Entertainment. 11 August 2009.
  17. ^ O'Leary: it would be blooming great if I was the new Rose of Tralee host. Belfast Telegraph 15 May 2010.
  18. ^ Ray D'Arcy hits back at Dermot O'Leary. RTÉ Entertainmeant (19 August 2009)
  19. ^ O'Leary says he is 'free' for Rose of Tralee. RTÉ Entertainmint. 13 May 2010.
  20. ^ "BBC Radio 2 - Dermot O'Leary". Bbc.co.uk. 1 January 1970. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  21. ^ Rookwood, Dan (7 February 2003) Small Talk: Dermot O'Leary, The Guardian
  22. ^ Holly Willoughby exclusive: Why she loves wearing those revealing dresses. Daily Mirror.
  23. ^ "Team History". Colchester Gladiators American Football Club. Retrieved 21 May 2008.
  24. ^ "Colchester Gladiators - 20th Anniversary Reunion Game". Britball Now. 19 October 2003. Archived from the original on 18 December 2007. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
  25. ^ Bull, Sarah (14 September 2012). "Sealed with a kiss! Dermot O'Leary gives bride Dee a smooch as pair wed after 10 years together". London: Daily Mail. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  26. ^ Fulton, Rick (30 September 2005) Relax, Girls, Dermot Is Not Getting Married The Daily Record
  27. ^ Williams, Andrew (23 July 2007) 60 SECONDS: Dermot O'Leary Metro
  28. ^ "My Secret Life: Dermot O'Leary, broadcaster", The Independent 28 July 2007
  29. ^ "John Prescott, Dermot O'Leary, Bill Bailey and Keith Lemon go commando for Male Cancer Awareness Campaign | The Drum". M.thedrum.com. 24 February 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  30. ^ ___Leary_pledges_future_to_Brighton "Dermot O'Leary pledges future to Brighton". The Argus (Brighton). 24 June 2010. Retrieved 24 June 2010. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  31. ^ "Dermot O'Leary 'forced to close' fish restaurant - ITV News". Itv.com. 10 March 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  32. ^ "Radio 2 - Dermot O'Leary - Biography". BBC. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
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