Dermot O’Leary has credited former X Factor boss Simon Cowell for giving him the autonomy to tailor his mainstream TV career around his family. 

The popular presenter is currently preparing for a new role as co-host of forthcoming UKTV Dave game show Silence Is Golden alongside Canadian comedienne Katherine Ryan. 

And Dermot, 51, believes talent show mogul Cowell played a significant part in his career trajectory by giving him free-reign to express himself during their eight-years together on The X Factor. 

He told The Sun: ‘On the live shows Simon always said to me, “I’m never going to touch a word of your script, never going to tell you what to say. I’m paying you to go out and do it.”

‘He stuck to his word for 12 years and let me get on with it, which I enjoyed so much.’ 

Dermot O’Leary is currently preparing for a new role as co-host of forthcoming UKTV Dave game show Silence Is Golden alongside Canadian comedienne Katherine Ryan

He has credited former X Factor boss Simon Cowell for giving him the autonomy to tailor his mainstream TV career around his family

He added: ‘I’m at a stage now – a very happy, comfortable stage – you don’t always have the luxury of it, but I want to do things now that interest me, and I want to do things that fit around my life.’ 

New show Silence Is Golden will see audience members given £250,000 to share, but in order to keep it they must keep a straight face while a string of thirty comedians attempt to make them laugh. 

Executive producer Richard Bacon said: ‘The feeling when you’re not allowed to laugh at a funeral? It’s that – the game show.’ 

Reflecting on the forthcoming project, Dermot – currently a regular fixture on ITV flagship This Morning – admits it fits in nicely around his family life with wife Dee Koppang and their son Kasper, 4.   

He said: ‘It’s not that I wanted to do a comedy game show, though I’m pᴀssionate about it and I want to do another one. It just felt like something different and a new and interesting and fun idea, and it was a bit of a challenge for me.

‘There are a couple of jobs I’ve turned down since having my son, Kasper, as I’m not going to go away for a long time, not unless he was with me.’ 

Dermot was previously said to be  keen on following in James Corden’s footsteps by attempting to crack the US as host of another new game show, Five Questions To A Million, after filming a pilot in 2024. 

According to The Mirror, the show is similar to Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? but with seven contestants facing fewer questions.

Dermot believes talent show mogul Cowell played a significant part in his career trajectory by giving him free-reign to express himself during their eight-years together on The X Factor

Dermot – currently a regular fixture on ITV flagship This Morning – admits new show Silence Is Golden fits in nicely around his family life with wife Dee Koppang and their son Kasper, 4

While the pilot for Five Questions To A Million was filmed at Elstree Studios in London, all the hopefuls that took part were American.

A source told the publication: ‘Dermot has long had ambitions of cracking America and this could finally be his chance.’

Last September, Dermot surprised fans by sharing an emotional tribute to his wife Dee on Instagram as he celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary.

The presenter took to his Instagram page on Saturday with a rare snap from their wedding day as they danced the night away together.

Dermot, who is usually fairly private about his family life, gave a rare insight by sharing the sweet sH๏τ of himself and Dee.

Alongside the pH๏τograph, he wrote: ’12 years!’

The couple met when they were both working for the same television corporation and started dating in 2002 when they began a nine-year relationship.