Dermot O’Leary’s life off-camera – from producer wife to adorable son

Dermot O’Leary has been appearing on our screens for decades with major shows like Big Brother’s Little Brother, The X Factor and This Morning, which he regularly presents alongside Alison Hammond.

Despite his high-profile status, the 51-year-old often keeps much of his personal life away from the spotlight, only sharing the occasional glimpse of his life with his wife and their adorable young son. Most of the star’s social media posts revolve around his professional career, including with his ‘television wife’ Alison.

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Read on to find out all we know about their relationship…

Dee’s biography

Born in Oslo in 1978, Dee’s job is almost the total opposite of her husband, as she spends her time behind the camera as a television and film producer. The stunning brunette has a seriously impressive CV, having worked as a unit director on some of Netflix’s biggest programmes, including The Crown, Rivals and Bridgerton.

© Alan Davidson/Shutterstock

Dee has also worked on shows closer to home, including the incredible The Split, which aired on BBC 1. She has also produced and directed the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show since 2009 and assisted with the opening ceremony for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Speaking of her career path to Directors UK, she said: “I was a runner, coordinator, researcher, AP, Shooting AP, DV Director, PD, series director etc. I spent the next 15 years working my way up in the exciting worlds of music shows, observational documentaries, live breakfast TV, and reality shows like Big Brother and Shipwrecked.”

Meeting, engagement and showbiz wedding

Dee and Dermot started dating in 2002 after meeting a TV production company where they both worked. The pair dated for nine years, before Dermot got down on one knee during a trip to New York City.

The couple married in September 2012 at a village church in Chiddingstone, Kent, with Dermot’s ITV pal Holly Willoughby, as well as stars such as James Corden, Chris O’Dowd and Bear Grylls attending the wedding. The couple celebrated their nuptials with two honeymoons and Dermot says that he still finds married life “brilliant”. “She’s very smart,” the presenter said, adding: “We keep each other sane.”

News of their engagement came from Dermot’s late friend, Caroline Flack, with the former Xtra Factor presenter teasing her co-star about why he waited so long to “pop the question” to Dee, with the star replying that he didn’t want to “rush” into things.

Home

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Hectic international work schedules often keep Dee and Dermot apart, but the couple have bases in London’s affluent Primrose Hill and Italy. Their London pad often serves as a background for Dee’s Instagram posts, with fans admiring the open plan spaces and swanky contemporary interiors, as well as a number of homely rustic touches including a bar cart and log pile.

Children

Dermot and Dee are proud parents to their son Kaspar, who was welcomed during the COVID lockdowns of 2020, with the youngster being born in June 2020. Confirming the arrival, Dermot shared: “Welcome to the world baby Koppang O’Leary. We’re delighted to announce that we’ve had a baby! Enjoying the cuddles in the newborn bubble… cats yet to be 100% convinced. Lots of love, Dermot & Dee x.”

Speaking to The Sunday Times about life as a parent, Dermot shared: “Having a child has changed what I want from life and what makes me happy. 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!”

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He added: “I can’t understand those parents who don’t enjoy changing nappies or crawling around on the carpet pretending to be a racing car. Isn’t that the absolute joy of being a parent?”

It’s not just a young son running around their home, as Dermot and Dee also have two cats, Socks and Toto, with Dermot dedicating the second book in his children’s series to his wife, writing: “To Dee Koppang O’Leary, first of her name, Queen of the Fjords, proud woman of Kent, and most definitely Mother of Cats.”