The bubbly pair host This Morning on Fridays, but the reason as to why they did not take on the role full time has remained a mystery – until now
Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond chose not to present This Morning full time
Dermot O’Leary has revealed the real reason why he and Alison Hammond didn’t step into Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield’s shoes on This Morning.
In May 2023, Phillip left fans stunned when he left ITV’s flagship morning show, later confessing to an “unwise but not illegal” relationship with a younger male colleague. Five months later, his co-host bid farewell to the show, creating a gap that Dermot and Alison could have filled.
Phil and Holly were eventually replaced by Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley, but in a recent interview, Dermot disclosed a very heartfelt reason why he and Alison – with whom he presents the show on Fridays – passed on the offer to take the job full time.
The former X Factor host said he cherishes his morning school runs with his son, Kasper, emphasising the value of maintaining a “good work-life balance”. He told The Sunday Times: “We’re both busy enough. It’s about a good work-life balance. I’ve worked long and hard enough to know what is important.”
Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield left This Morning in 2023 (Image: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
Dermot and his wife, Dee Koppang, welcomed their son in June 2020 and he previously confessed that becoming a father has made him more family-focused.
In another previous interview with The Sunday Times, he shared that having a child had shifted his priorities and his definition of “happiness”, expressing a desire to spend more time with his wife and “little man”.
He said: “Do I need another car? The latest gadget? A bit of vintage Van Morrison vinyl? No, forget the material stuff. What I want is to be with the people I love!
Dermot and his wife, Dee Koppang (Image: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
“Dee’s work means that we’re not always together but, those evenings when we are, we make the most of spending proper time together as a family.”
Dee has a demanding career, directing for major Netflix hits such as The Crown and Bridgerton, and she was previously involved in big projects such as the 2012 Olympic Games and sizzling lingerie shows for Victoria’s Secret.
Dermot, meanwhile, is no stranger to our screens, having hosted The X Factor, plus popping up on various shows across BBC, ITV and Channel 4.
He’s also found success with his children’s book series Toto the Ninja Cat, which has sold hundreds of thousands of copies and been translated into multiple languages.
Sharing his love for literature, Dermot, raised in Colchester by his Irish parents Maria and Sean, and alongside his elder sister Nicky, previously mentioned: “I don’t think there’s ever been a time when I haven’t had a book by my bedside.
“I’ve got mates of mine who say, ‘I read The Da Vinci Code in 2008 and nothing since’ and I find that baffling. I can’t imagine not reading books. I don’t think I could go to sleep without one.”
