Dermot O'Leary has opened up about a side of his This Morning co-star that few people know, crediting Andi Peters with giving him his big career break. The presenter revealed that Peters offered him a screen test for T4, which eventually led to a job on the show.
Andi Peters' Hidden Talents
While Andi Peters is often seen presenting competitions and occasionally standing in as a host across ITV programmes, the 52-year-old insisted there is far more to him. Dermot described Peters as 'whippet smart' and credited him with helping bring Dawson's Creek to UK audiences through Channel 4's T4 strand.
How It All Began
Reflecting on his career start, Dermot recalled how Peters spotted him warming up the audience for a live show, leading to the screen test opportunity. Speaking to Holly Rubenstein on The Travel Diaries, he said: 'He saw me doing warm up and then I got chatting to him and he said, "Look, I'm starting this thing on Channel 4, I can't give you a job but I can give you a screen test. I'll keep you in mind."'
Dermot continued: 'I'm so indebted to Andi because he...' before being asked if he meant 'competitions Andi'. He confirmed, adding: 'What you have to understand about Andi is if he wanted to, Andi could be in the running to be the next Director General of the BBC. Andi is whippet smart and if he had chosen to go down that route he'd be running channels now, but I think he just likes the gym too much and likes smoothies and wants an easy life.'
Behind-the-Scenes Genius
Dermot highlighted Peters' behind-the-scenes talent: 'Because he started T4 and he was able to buy the shows we watched so he was responsible for like Dawson's Creek and he executively produced the show, he studio directed the show from time to time, which is an unbelievably difficult thing to do. And he was just a great talent spotter and just a genuine lovely guy and just a brilliant man.'
Dermot's Career Journey
Following his time on T4, Dermot moved on to present Big Brother's Little Brother from 2001. Six years later, it was announced he would replace Kate Thornton as host of The X Factor. After eight years, he stepped down in 2015 and was replaced by Olly Murs and Caroline Flack, before returning to the role a year later.
These days, Dermot remains a familiar face across television and radio, including BBC Radio 2. He also presents This Morning every Friday alongside Alison Hammond, and steps in during school half terms on occasion. This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV and ITVX.
