Dermot O'Leary dismisses X Factor USA buzz

Dermot O'Leary dismisses X Factor USA buzz (Image credit: PA Wire/Press Association Images)

Dermot O'Leary doesn't fancy his chances of replacing Steve Jones on the US version of The X Factor. And the TV host admitted he doesn't even know yet if he will be back on the UK version of the show when it returns later this year. Dermot is the bookies' favourite to replace Jones after his recent exit along with judges Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul. But when asked if he thought he would be offered the role, the diplomatic presenter said: "I would doubt it. I don't want to talk about another person's job because it's not good politics and I love doing the UK show - that's where my heart is." He added: "I have no idea what's going to happen in the future and I definitely still want to work in the States, but it's got to be right for my lifestyle. When you work over there, you've got to give it your all." Dermot said he couldn't even confirm whether he'll be hosting the next UK series, due to start in August. "I had a really good year last year, so of course I hope to do it, but I'm not the sort of person to tempt fate. If I said, 'Yeah, I'm coming back' but I'm not signed on the dotted line, I'd look stupid, so I'd never say that." Dermot was also unwilling to talk about any changes to the judging line-up: "I've no idea. From my perspective, I'm just going to keep out of all that. "X Factor pretty much let me get on with it. They say, 'Be you, be cheeky, fight the corner of the acts and away you go'." Dermot O'Leary co-hosts Live From The Red Carpet: The 2012 Bafta Awards on E! Entertainment Television on Sunday, February 12.

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Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix.

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.