BalanceMayIssue2017 - 29

F

T H E B I G I N TERVIEW

ew men in showbiz can
talk as enthusiastically
about George Clooney's
skin as French politics.
Which makes Dermot
O'Leary, Britain's
King of Saturday
night television, a
rare breed indeed.
We meet on a sunny
Thursday morning in
April, when Marine
Le Pen, former leader of France's biggest far-right,
anti-immigration party, The National Front, is a
candidate in the running to become president in
the country's May election.
'I'm excited that [someone] can quit a party and still
be favourite to be president and I'm appalled that National
Front can be so huge,' says Dermot, a self-confessed history
and 'politics nerd' who has one big grumble about British

BOUNCING BACK
Dermot grew up in a Roman Catholic home where
political opinion dominated dinner table conversation.
His parents, Sean Dermot Snr (also Dermot's birth name)
and Marie, 'were a pair of Irish kids' who relocated to
Colchester, Essex, to create a more prosperous future
for their family. While Dermot's dad influenced his
work ethic - progressing from labouring to getting
a management job at British Telecom - Marie taught
Dermot and his sister Nicola (who's three years older)
how to cook, a passion that Dermot loves to this day.
'I didn't have any discipline or concentration at
school,' he says, revealing that reports from when he
was 11 were recently unearthed in his parents' attic.
'They said "fine for talking, life and soul of the class,
attendance 100%, but could do with a little bit more
focus". If you ask all my producers now they'd say
exactly the same thing!'
After retaking and finally passing his GCSEs, he went
on to graduate from Middlesex University with a degree

politics: 'I'm not a massive fan of our electoral system,'
in media and politics. Then, at the age of 22, while
he says. 'We're kind of stuck with two party politics.'
working as a runner at a documentary company,
It begs the question: Who will Dermot vote for
Dermot secured his first presenting gig for a Channel 4
next month when Britain goes to the polls
pilot, Seaside Special. He later hosted Channel 4's T4 and
for Theresa May's snap general election?
in 2001 became a household name presenting
'It's hard for me to answer only
Big Brother's Little Brother.
because I work for the Beeb,' says
Presenting The X Factor, though,
THE MORNING I
Dermot, 43, who hosts BBC Radio 2's
has
truly defined Dermot's career
WOKE UP AFTER
Saturday Breakfast With Dermot
but, two years ago, after eight
LEAVING THE X
show. He glances cautiously
years at the helm, he made a
FACTOR , I THOUGHT
across the Spring Restaurant at
shock decision to resign after
'CHRIST, WHAT AM I
London's Somerset House, where
hearing whispers that his boss,
GOING TO DO WITH
two hours earlier he launched his
Simon Cowell, was investigating
THE REST OF MY
male grooming range for Marks and
a replacement. Olly Murs and
LIFE?' IT BROUGHT A Caroline Flack were later recruited
Spencer, 24.hr Grooming for Men by
SENSE OF PANIC
Dermot O'Leary - yet another surprising
in his place.
side to a man known more for his on-stage
'The first morning I woke up I
dancing than commitment to beauty. 'For some
thought "Christ, what am I going to do
reason, we love to put people in boxes in this country.'
with the rest of my life? I've been doing this job
As conversations go, shower gel might be a more
for the last eight years." It brought a sense of momentary
preferable topic than politics, given Dermot has declined
panic,' recalls Dermot.
invitations to appear on BBC One's Question Time.
'For one night on Question Time, which I think I'd
really enjoy, it would probably make the rest of my BBC
career on radio more difficult,' explains Dermot, adding
that his 'broadly centre left' views would also make
it tricky to follow in the footsteps of stars like Arnold
Schwarzenegger, who have branched into politics.
'I don't think I believe in a single party enough or
think I'd be able to tow a party line enough,' he explains.

DERMOT'S
FORMULA FOR
TRUE HAPPINESS

WORK

Passion projects followed, including presenting and
co-producing a Channel 4 documentary about the
Battle of Britain, creating his M&S grooming range, and
writing a children's book, inspired by his love of cats,
which will be published this summer. Long standing
commitments - an annual presenting gig at the National
Television Awards and running his production company
Beaumont Film Partnership - also continued. But 10
months after Dermot's departure from the hit ITV show,

FUN

May 2017 BALANCE

SLEEP

UNDUE
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BALANCE

29
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