Caroline to take Dermot role? - Feb 16 2008
Caroline Flack is apparently in talks to take over from Dermot O'Leary on Big Brother's Little Brother.

Formerly a presenter of both the Pepsi Chart Show and E4 Music Show, Caroline is reportedly now the frontrunner after Dermot, 34, quit BBLB to focus on hosting ITV's The X Factor.

Channel 4 bosses initially contemplated the likes of Steve Jones and Alex Zane as successors, the Daily Star reports, but with a self-confessed love for Big Brother and an impressive list of celebrity chums, the Bo' Selecta star looks a good bet for the job.

A source told the paper: "Caroline is sexy and sassy.

"She has got all the quirky qualities you need to not only deal with the housemates but also their freaky friends and family."

Auditions for the voyeuristic reality show have closed following disappointing turnouts with producers currently choosing housemates for the next series.

Dermot’s big year - Dec 27 2007
Dermot O’Leary has won over viewers and proved to be a huge success as the new host of X Factor, according to industry experts.

The 32-year-old presenter, who will host a Big Brother show for the last time in January when he fronts Celebrity Hijack, took over from Kate Thornton on the ITV1 talent show this year.

Heat’s TV editor Boyd Hilton said: "Dermot doing the X Factor has been a huge success. It’s always incredibly entertaining, but his just slightly barbed comments about some of the acts and the judges just makes the show slightly more credible than it used to be."

And it seems ITV favourites Ant and Dec are still at the top of their game, despite a phone-in scandal on their Saturday Night Takeaway.

"The trust issue of TV has been an enormous media story in 2007, but I actually think the viewers don’t care that much," said Boyd.

"I don’t think people will sit there and go ’I lost 50p’ on Ant and Dec. The fact they still won those National TV Awards this year as they do year after year, was proof that if viewers love people on TV it doesn’t matter what they do."

Dermot opens up about leaving BBLB - Dec 12 2007
Dermot O’Leary has spoken out about quitting Big Brother’s Little Brother, admitting it "feels a bit weird".

The TV presenter - who left BB after seven years so he can concentrate on his hosting duties for X Factor - told Heat magazine it will be strange watching someone else front the show.

"It does feel like the end of a big thing for me," he said. "I had total freedom on that show to shape it in my own image and I had such a great time. It’ll be really weird watching someone else doing it."

He added: "I can’t imagine who they’ll get to do it. Whoever it is, I’ve said I’d be delighted to help out in any way."

Dermot admitted juggling both shows became "physically impossible".

"When I did X Factor and BBLB in the summer, I felt like I was about to die," he revealed.

"Now, obviously I’m not doing a job where I have to go down the mines or anything, so I don’t want to sound too dramatic. But I really didn’t feel like I could do both shows justice, or be in two places at the same time."

Dermot quits Big Brother - Nov 28 2007
Dermot O’Leary has quit Big Brother after seven years so he can concentrate on his hosting duties for X Factor.

The 34-year-old, who hosted E4’s Big Brother’s Little Brother, will bow out after fronting Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack on E4 in January, which sees stars taking over the role of Big Brother.