Dermot O'Leary publicly praised his wife, Dee Koppang, during Friday's episode of ITV's This Morning, expressing pride in her work as a director on the Disney+ series Rivals.
Opening the show with co-presenter Alison Hammond, the pair danced to the a-Ha hit Take On Me, and O'Leary explained that the episode was themed around the 1980s. Guests included singer Billy Ocean, known for Caribbean Queen and When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going, and Joanne McNally from Celebrity Traitors.
Pride in Rivals Success
O'Leary told viewers: "We are playing 80s songs today for two reasons; firstly, we've got music icon Billy Ocean in here later," as Hammond added: "I can't believe it."
He continued: "Loads of 80s nostalgia this week after the return of hit series, Rivals," before revealing he attended the launch of the Disney+ show on Wednesday evening with his wife. O'Leary said: "It went well. So my wife has directed the three episodes that are going out now."
Hammond responded: "So proud," and O'Leary added: "Yeah, I am bursting with pride. So we had her big launch this week, and she absolutely smashed it."
Dee Koppang's Career
The 53-year-old presenter is married to film producer and director Dee Koppang, 47, and the couple share one son, Kasper, born in 2020. They first got together in 2002, and O'Leary proposed in New York City nearly a decade later. They married on September 14, 2012, at a church in Chiddingstone, Kent, with Holly Willoughby and Bear Grylls among the guests.
Koppang has directed productions for Netflix including Bridgerton and The Crown, as well as The Split, Shipwrecked, and Dating in the Dark. Her other credits include the Victoria's Secret lingerie shows, the opening ceremony for the 2012 Olympic Games, and music videos for Justin Bieber and One Direction. Most recently, she has directed episodes of Rivals, whose second season launched on Disney+ on November 11.
Rivals Season Two
The series features Aidan Turner as Declan O'Hara, David Tennant as Lord Tony Baddingham, Danny Dyer as Freddie Jones, Emily Atack as Sarah Stratton, Luca Pasqualino as Bas Baddingham, Bella Maclean as Taggie O'Hara, Nafessa Williams as Cameron Cook, and Katherine Parkinson as Lizzie Vereker.
Disney+ described the new series: "Rutshire is rocked by tragedy, scandal and betrayal as the battle between Venturer and Corinium reaches breaking point. As Tony Baddingham tightens his grip, leaks and buried secrets threaten to destroy families and careers.
"Declan fights to save Venturer while Rupert confronts difficult truths about love and loyalty. Across hedonistic parties, Bonfire Night chaos, the Hampshire Hunt Ball and a turbulent Christmas, affairs unravel, alliances fracture and rivalries intensify.
"As corruption at the heart of the franchise battle is finally exposed, Taggie must follow her heart while everyone faces the consequences of ambition, power and the secrets they can no longer hide."
This Morning airs weekdays on ITV and ITVX.
