As he prepares to present this week's National Television Awards, Dermot O'Leary reveals the tension of waiting to hear whether he's landed a life-changing job on X Factor USA...
American dream: Will Dermot O'Leary present the U.S. version of X Factor?
Still, in these difficult times, another language always looks good on the CV. He jokes about where this one might lead.
Who would have thought Norwegian could be such a seductive language? It turns out that Dermot O'Leary is only saying, 'Hello, my name is Dermot' when he gives me a demonstration of his latest language skills, but still, the swoon factor is considerable.
'I've been learning for a month. It's like being back at school,' he admits proudly, throwing in another impressive piece of poetry ('One glass of white wine, please').
Alas, his reasons for all this study are not ones his female fans will want to hear. 'My girlfriend, Dee, is from Norway and, since we've been together for eight years, I thought it was time to learn. Really, I'm doing it so that when we have kids, she can't have a secret language with them where she's smiling at me while saying, "Daddy is so stupid" to them.'
'Yep, I'd be up for doing the Norwegian X Factor. In fact, why stop at Norway? With a few more language lessons, I could do the French one, the Spanish, the Brazilian.' Are you after world domination, Dermot? 'Absolutely.'
His tongue may be firmly in his cheek, but the possibility of packing a suitcase to go to work on The X Factor is a very real one. The presenting job that Dermot really wants is on the American version of the show, due to launch - with great hoopla - later this year.
The big question, among X Factor fans, is whether Dermot will be going too.
He has made no secret of the fact that he'd love the job and today he tells me that he first started talking to Simon Cowell about it, albeit vaguely, two years ago.
'Have I got it? I still don't know. I've thrown my hat in the ring. I've been over, had a few meetings. I've sat down with Simon. I've made a pitch, but to be honest there's not a lot more I can do.
'It's all a bit odd. I didn't do any screen tests, which would be normal, because I'm already doing the job here, and they can see exactly what they'd be getting. Now I just have to wait.'
You'd think it would be nerve-racking to wait for the results of a job interview that the whole world knows you are up for, and given how lovely Dermot is, positively cruel to keep him dangling.
But with his typically relaxed attitude, he says, 'The upside is it's been so long now that I've had time to prepare myself for what comes. But if I don't get it, I know that I have to not take it personally because it will have been about them wanting an American in the role.'
It's more complicated than that, though. Cowell has let it be known that, while he would like to take several of the British X Factor stars with him to the US, he says there is only room for him and one other.
Unfortunately, Cheryl Cole's name has been mooted, and she is said to be super-keen to be given the chance to launch herself in America.
While they may not do the same job, this sounds like a straight fight between him and Cheryl. And shouldn't the smart telly money always be on the pretty girl with the swishy hair in these circumstances (even if the yanks won't have a hope of understanding her accent)?
'Who knows what factors will come into play? I don't know what they are looking for,' Dermot says, diplomatically.
If he were Cowell, though, which one of them would he take? 'I'd have us both. Seriously. I think there is room for three Brits on the show, but at the same time I get the fact that they might want an American doing the presenting.
'I'd be miffed if an American came over here and took a presenting job I thought I could do.'
So there won't be fisticuffs if Cheryl gets the equivalent of the chocolate bar with the golden wrapper? 'Oh no,' he grins. 'Well, not with Cheryl.'
Ambitious might not be a word immediately associated with Dermot O'Leary. Perhaps it's the Irish influence - although he was born and brought up in Colchester, Essex, his parents are from Wexford - but he has always seemed more laid-back than most telly types.
He arrives late for our interview at the offices of a London TV production company, but things can't get started until he's said a friendly 'Hi' to every member of the office staff.
That Everyman quality is reflected in his looks. While he could hold his own on any GQ cover - with a winning twinkle to the eye, a nice line in dapper suits and a serious pair of pecs - he wouldn't look out of place on a building site.
He's the sort of man who has women sighing and men engaging him in chat about the football. Rare is the television presenter who has such widespread appeal.
But he does have considerable ambition, and he certainly wouldn't mind being the next Simon Cowell. At one point I say breezily that he is nothing like Cowell, personality-wise (I'm meaning the obsessiveness, the Svengali tendencies, the determination not to let anything get in the way of work). He begs to differ.
'Am I not? In some ways I think I am. I can be pretty single-minded. I'm a workaholic.
Special relationship: Simon Cowell argues on the X Factor judging panel with Cheryl Cole, who is keen to launch her career in the U.S.
'He's a very interesting man, Simon. He's incredibly supportive as a boss and he shows a lot of compassion, but he hates indecision and he hates fear. What he loves is confidence without arrogance, which is the holy grail. I've learnt a lot from him, and I owe him a great deal.'
Interestingly, he says what he has learnt most from Simon is that it's OK to be honest about these things - that they are attributes to be applauded. Ditto with money.
He says he may not be as driven to earn it as Simon is - 'it's not the primary force' - but he won't apologise for earning it, and in buckets.
'Money buys you three things - freedom, choice and stuff. Never underestimate how great being able to buy stuff is.'
How exactly does their relationship work? Presumably they aren't quite friends? 'Well, Simon is Simon, a very busy man. I might have a meal with him, which is always entertaining because he is far more fun than most people give him credit for. Then I won't see him for six months.'
Is he scared of him? 'Ha. Not now, but I suppose I was a year ago. I feel on safer ground now, but maybe I shouldn't be. There's always a sense that the death stare is never far away.'
Just how much Dermot's star has risen is evident from his nomination as Most Popular Presenter in the National Television Awards, which take place on Wednesday. He is hosting the awards too, which he jokes will spoil things if he actually wins his category.
'Normally, if you get an award like this, you go backstage and the press clamour round and everyone is congratulating you. If I do win it, I'll have to be back on stage to present the next award. The moment will be ruined!'
True to form, he's not afraid to say that he wants to win - 'absolutely, of course I do' - but admits he is unlikely to, being up against his former Big Brother colleague, Davina McCall, and the formidable duo of Ant and Dec, who have won this award an eye-watering nine times.
'Obviously they want to make it ten, and while I'm happy to knock them off their perch, there is a big emotional thing there for viewers. With Davina, too, because it's her last year of Big Brother. I guess I'd be the most unemotional choice.'
Of course, it was The X Factor that turned him into a household name. Strange then that he reportedly turned down the job twice before Cowell talked him round.
Ambitious: Dermot with girlfriend of eight years, Dee Koppang. They would like to marry and have children at some point, but both love their jobs and are very driven
'That's not quite true. I didn't actually turn it down. It's more that I took a while to decide to say yes.' Why? 'With such a huge promotion you have to be aware of the ramifications.'
He's glad he did sign up, though, chatting away about what it's like to be at the heart of a show that everyone talks about, and on which everyone has an opinion.
His own opinions on the judges are astute. Simon is, he says, the most honest. Louis is 'the best cheerleader in the world, and a terrible - brilliant - gossip'.
Dannii is the most analytical. 'She asks the right questions, and when a performance dips she will lift it up.' And Cheryl? 'She is amazing at picking up an atmosphere in the room and translating it for viewers. She gets it spot on. If she does get the job [in America], she'll deserve it.'
Sometimes, he admits, the attention gets too much. The 'vote fixing' furore over the last series upset him. It was reported that Cowell was furious with him over comments he made that suggested the judges had prior knowledge of the public vote.
'It was very hurtful, and completely untrue. They do not. Even Simon doesn't know those and why would he want to? It would be like killing the golden goose.'
Did he get an earful from Cowell? 'No, Simon is very supportive. He knew the score.'
He gets irked by any snobby attitudes towards The X Factor and - by association - him, and points out that X Factor fans are by no means restricted to the chav classes.
In an ideal world, he says he would straddle the worlds of light entertainment and, say, current affairs - a lofty ambition that few actually manage to realise.
'I kind of see it like being an actor. With The X Factor I've got my blockbuster, but the opportunity is also there to go off and do other things - vanity projects if you like - as well.'
If he does get the US gig, life will suddenly be much more complicated. He thinks the job would involve shuttling back and forth between the US and the UK, presenting both shows.
Winning formula: Dermot's opinions of the X Factor judges are astute. Simon is the most honest, while Dannii, he says, is the most analytical
What does Dee make of that? He groans. 'In some ways it couldn't come at a worse time. We've just bought a house and we're doing it up. But in another way, it would suit her. She's a TV producer, and for the last few years has spent several months at a time in the US. If anything, I'm the one holding her back.'
After eight years together, they are getting to the stage where people keep asking the marriage question. Possibly too much for his liking. And hers.
'When we go on holiday people call her Mrs O'Leary. She complains a little too loudly, if you ask me. But the truth is we just haven't got round to it. We will. I do think it's important.'
And children? 'We say we want them, but to be honest, the more time you spend with children, the more the idea of parenthood terrifies you.
'I've got a three-year-old niece and a day with her exhausts me. You look at friends with kids and their life stops until the kid is 18. The difficulty is that we love our jobs and are very focused on them. She's definitely as driven as I am.
'So when do we make the kids decision - knowing it's going to change our lives? We will, but maybe not just yet.'
The National Television Awards, ITV1, Wednesday, 7.30pm. To vote, go to www.nationaltvawards. com or tel: 0901 888 2011.
Source:Dailymail
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