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It's great being Big Brother's little brother, says Dermot


By Maureen Coleman
14 November 2006

Dermot O'Leary has said he will stay involved with Big Brother as long as the show continues to run.

The popular host of Big Brother's Little Brother said he still enjoyed watching the series and working on the spin-off show.

"The Big Brother format still works and people still love watching it," he said.

"This year's was a bit long I thought, but it was a brilliant show and I thoroughly enjoyed it. As long as Big Brother keeps going, I'll keep doing BBLB.

"I can't see Big Brother ending just yet, but when they do decide to finish, that'll be it, it will just end like that."

Dermot said his favourite housemates this year were Welsh lad Glynn and tantrum-thrower Nicky. But he said he didn't keep in touch with any of them or see them out and about on the busy London social scene.

"It's not that I don't like going to parties, I do, but I have my own friends," he said.

"I don't keep up-to-date with any of their news. Once they leave the house, I don't really meet them again."

Dermot, who is hosting the UK Music Hall Of Fame tonight and who is currently the new face of BBC1's Saturday Night's Lottery Show, is heading to Belfast later this month to host a presenting workshop for Cinemagic.

He's been a regular supporter of the Belfast-based charity for many years and said it had benefited many young people in Northern Ireland wanting to work in the media.

"The experience they get through Cinemagic is invaluable and I'm very proud to be involved with it," he said.

"What the young people who take part in the various workshops get out of them is that they learn the job from people who already do it.

"I always tell them that to be a good presenter you have to be yourself. You also have to be a good listener and a hard worker, but it does take a bit of luck too.

"I'm 33 now and still loving it and I would definitely encourage any young people in Northern Ireland to go for it and really strive for it if presenting is what they want to do."

Dermot will host his TV presenting workshops in Belfast on November 30 and December 1.

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