Simon Cowell has admitted that he would like delicious Dermot O’Leary to quit his role on E4’s Big Brother’s Little Brother.

Dermot has been complaining about the long hours involved in working on both shows and has hinted that he might not be able to do both next year.

“I hope that next year he only does The X Factor,” Cowell told The Mirror. “It’s a much bigger gig.” Read more & comment »

Speaking at the official launch of the X Factor in London on Wednesday of this week, the delectable Dermot O’Leary revealed that he rang sacked host Kate Thornton before the news of his appointment became public and got her blessing.

He revealed: “I called Kate the day I took the job before it went out and it was important for me to do that. She was very gracious and a lady.

“The way I look at it is, it’s a job. There is a fraternity amongst presenters but we’re not coal miners, I mean I’m not a scav. Kate finished with the X Factor and it was all done very above board.”

He added: “I was offered the job and it’s the biggest show on television, so I’m not going to turn it down.”

Aaaaahhhhh, couldn;t you just eat him!!

Gutted! I am absolutely gutted!

Gerard and I attended the X Factor press launch at The Mayfair Hotel in London today. We have loads of insider info and scoops to share On X Factor 4 which starts this Saturday….come back tomorrow for all that gossip. But tonight I just have to rant.

As we approached the launch venue this afternoon, I noticed all new X factor host, Dermot O’Leary walking directly in front of me. I am not usually prone to coming over all starstruck, but as all you girls will understand, this is Dermie! I could barely speak to tell Gerard he was there. Read more & comment »

Dermot O’Leary has hit out at fellow TV presenter Vernon Kay, after Vernon claimed he would have turned down the X Factor job if it had been offered to him.

Dermot told Heat magazine:

“It’s the biggest show in the country.”

“Unless you’re Jonathan Ross or Ant and Dec . . . if you say you’d turn it down, you’re full of s***.” Read more & comment »

TV bosses will have a helicopter on standby so that presenter, Dermot O’Leary can appear at the X factor 2007 auditions and still present Channel 4’s Big Brother’s Little Brother. Read more & comment »

Simon Cowell has spoken to Heat magazine and confirmed that he believes TV presenter, Dermot O’Leary, was the ” natural choice” for the X Factor jon.

“He always could have been Mr Primetime,” Cowell said. “I said to Dermot, ‘It’s your gig and you’ve got to do what you want with it.’ I have met him on several occasions and I like him a lot - he’s a good guy.”

“From what I gather he took time to think about it very carefully,”

“I’ve had a few conversations with him on the telephone [about becoming host], but ITV have handled the negotiation side of things. They wanted him as well.”

It has been reported that Dermot turned the job down twice before finally accepting. That’s right dermot! Treat ‘em mean, keep ‘em keen!

After last weeks announcement that Dermot O’Leary would be replacing Kate Thornton as X factor host, sacked X factor judge, louos Walsh has claimed that it was all due to his recommendation.

“Dermot is a great guy, I am delighted for him,” Louis told the Daily Star.

“I put him forward to Simon because I think he is great at his job, he has everything - plus, he is Irish.

“He has the looks, the humour and is a very warm and genuine person. In my view he is the best male presenter in the country.”

Simon just sacked Louis, so why would he care what he has to say about anything? Come on Louis! Get over yourself!

The troubled Big Brother show has reportedly lost two of its presenting team for this summers series as well as its sponsor.

Earlier this year the crazy yet loveable, Russell Brand revealed that he would not be presenting Big brothers E4 follow up show, Big Brother’s Big Mouth. Then earlier this week, the delectable Dermot O’Leary was announced as the next X factor presenter.

Dermot has not yet said if he will be continuing with Big Brothers Little Brother, but surely with a schedule as busy as the X factor’s he wouldn’t have time for both.

If Channel 4 has indeed lost both male presenters, just who will join Davina McCall this year in bringing the grand-daddy of reality Tv shows back to our screens?

I would like to see Justin Lee Collins take over the late night Big Brother’s Big Mouth….does anyone else have any suggestions?

ITV announced today that Dermot O’Leary will be the new host of The X Factor. The presenter has signed a deal that will see him host the hit entertainment show for the next two series.

Dermot 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 and the team on the kind of Saturday night entertainment show I grew up watching.’

Dermot is best known for hosting Big Brother’s Little Brother, Big Brother’s Big Brain and the BBC’s lottery show 1 vs. 100.

Duncan Gray, ITV’s Controller of Entertainment said, ‘Dermot is a star. He’s warm, clever and funny and he was our number one choice for the job. We’re thrilled to have him on ITV and we’re sure he’ll keep The X Factor the nation’s number one entertainment show for many years to come.’

Dermot and the team will commence their audition tour in May and will visit city centres across the country in the biggest talent search on television. Leona Lewis, winner of last year’s series, scored a number one with her single ‘A Moment Like This’ and runner up Raymond Quinn is currently at number one in the charts with his debut album.

The X Factor’s fourth series – which starts on ITV in the summer – will feature a fourth Judge and another category. Contestants will be split into 14 – 24s Boys; 14 – 24s Girls; 25s and Overs and Groups.

Richard Holloway, Executive Producer of The X Factor said: ‘With each series of The X Factor we have always strived to make the show bigger and better and this year with Dermot and four Judges I’m sure the viewers are in for a “xtra” special series.”

The delectable Dermot O’Leary has reportedly turned down an offer to present the X Factor as it would clash with his Big Brother commitments.

A source told Britain’s Daily Mirror newspaper: “Dermot was flattered but the filming would clash with his upcoming commitments for ‘Big Brother’.”

Apparently Simon Cowell is desperate to have a male host after witnessing Ryan Seacrests success on American Idol. Please God don’t ask Vernon Kaye!

So what secrets can you tell us at this stage about the new series?
We kind of ended up - not necessarily spilling the beans intentionally - but there was a big meeting where our producer sat everyone down and said, “Look guys, we’ve got a mole and when we find out who it is, they’re gonna get sacked.� Davina and I kind of looked at each other and said, “I kind of think that might be us!� So unfortunately they don’t tell me a bloody word!

Which housemate surprised you most?
Well, I tell you who I actually didn’t think I’d like - and I’m probably a sucker for saying this – but I adored Galloway. He’s a classic politician in that he’s unbelievably charming and he knows exactly what he’s doing - but at the same time I couldn’t help but like the guy. There was just something about him, he was just so charismatic - and I know that’s politicians - but just extraordinarily charismatic and I have to say I was genuinely quite taken with the guy when I met him.

Do you think the celebrities realise what they’re letting themselves in for?
I don’t think people have any comprehension how that house has an effect on people. The effect that place has on people is extraordinary. No one has an idea of the fact that it’s such a claustrophobic place; it makes people paranoid. Everyone says this, and it’s so true, you can’t act 24/7 …so invariably the real you is always going to come out.

Are you going to be making more forays into Lycra?
When the situation calls for it…I never shy away from Lycra!

Did you get an invite to Preston and Chantelle’s wedding?
I didn’t, no…it’s a funny thing actually, I don’t know Preston well but we had him on the radio a couple of times. We’re almost responsible for him getting together with Chantelle I think, because we had him on my radio show and all he wanted to do when he came on was talk about Big Brother. So he came on [to BBLB] as a guest and he was brilliant and very articulate about BB again, so then they asked him to go on Celebrity…and he said yes… so I like to think, even though we didn’t get an invite, that somehow we had a hand in those two getting together.

Have any celebs thrown a diva strop on BBLB?
No to be honest with you, we’ve been quite lucky. [Dennis] Rodman was probably the closest because he was just so truculent and was quite difficult all the way through, I think, but other than that they’re quite good as gold.

What do you think the Big Brain psychologists would make of your behaviour if you were in the house?
That’s the reason I wouldn’t go in the house! I don’t know, I love doing Big Brain but – and I try to do this on camera - I think it’s there to be questioned, because it’s all interpretative science that whole thing. Some people I think “I absolutely agree with everything you’re saying�, but with other people I think “How does that make sense? The fact that that person scratched their head at that specific time – does that mean they’re mad? No!� So I think they’ll probably have me locked up in a straitjacket.

Lastly, if you were in the house, what would your eviction night outfit be?
Well, seeing as though we’ve just talked about it, I’d have to go for Lycra wouldn’t I?

X FACTOR bosses have approached top showbiz agents in a bid to replace host Kate Thornton.

It is rumoured that they have compiled a list of presenters to take over from Kate in next years series.

Included on the list is Fearne Cotton and Dermot O’Leary, who has recently moved to the BBC.

Last night, a source said: “Kate is a lovely girl but the feeling is they want to send the fourth series show into the stratosphere.

“It’s one of Britain’s top rated shows and bosses are constantly looking for ways to revamp the format.

“Replacing Kate is one of the options for the next series.�

Last night, an X Factor spokeswoman said: “Kate is a fantastic presenter and we’re in the middle of an incredibly successful third series.

“Her talent in running a major live studio show is unprecedented and we look forward to continuing to work with her.�

Dermot O’Leary’s agent, however, was staying tight-lipped.

Big Brother’s Little Brother presenter DermotO’Leary has announced that he will be moving from Channel 4 and taking residence in the the halls of the BBC instead.

Dermot has been lined up to present the Lottery game show 1vs 100, to an audience of millions each Saturday night.

Dermot has become the face of Big Brothers Little Brother since it first aired, but insiders say that since Dermot’s time slot was changed and the show was moved to E4 instead of the main Channel 4 channel, Dermot felt side-lined. This was not helped by the popularity and cult following being built up by Russell Brand of Big Brother’s Big Mouth.

One insider told The Mirror: “It’s fair to say Dermot has been eclipsed on Big Brother by the fever surrounding Russell Brand, who presents the other spin-off show Big Mouth.

“He wants to spread his wings so he’s really excited to be doing the lottery. It’s a fresh challenge.�

As long as I still get to see Dermot the cutie on my TV screen, I don’t mind which channel he’s on!

Big Brother producers have decided that we all loved to analyse our Big Brother contestants so much that they would dedicate an entire show to it!

The new spinoff, called Big Brother’s Big Brain, will air live on Channel 4 on Monday nights. It will include psychiatrists evaluations of the housemates actions over the previous week. A chance to get inside their heads you might say.

“Channel 4 viewers have always loved the insight that a psychological perspective gives,” said Angela Jain, C4’s commissioning editor for factual entertainment. “It’s fantastic to be able to give Dermot O’Leary the opportunity to get stuck into the minutiae of the housemates’ behaviour in a live, dynamic and discursive way.”

BBLB has been ousted from its traditional Channel 4 slot for Big Brother’s 2006 series, and will instead be found every night at 7.30pm on E4, although the Sunday lunchtime outing on C4 will remain.

This could in part be due to the massive drop in viewers the show managed in the last series. After the slot was moved to a early morning breakfast slot it drew around 200,000 viewers - a far cry from the 1.8 million it had averaged in its previous home.

Thankfully the show will still be presented by the delectable Dermot O’Leary. I would gladly give up watching Corrie for him!