Dermot O’Leary shares first details on ‘risky’ Celebrity X Factor

Dermot O’Leary has shared the first details from the upcoming Celebrity X Factor.

This year will see a special series of the singing competition featuring celebrity contestants.

Appearing on ITV’s This Morning today (September 19), Dermot admitted the new show is a “risk” but praised boss Simon Cowell’s “bravery”.

“One thing I’ve always thought about Simon is that you don’t have to agree with him all the time, but I do admire his bravery. I admire the fact he’s goes, ‘You know what, let’s give it a go’,” said Dermot.

The host went on to reveal what to expect from the show which was filmed earlier this year.

He explained: “We filmed [the auditions] in the States at Simon’s house in Malibu. They come on and get coached for a week, I suppose, beforehand and they pick a couple of songs and come on and do a turn.

“It is a risk – I haven’t seen the shows yet – but having been there for two weeks or whatever in July, it felt good. And when it feels good it normally is good. And it felt fun and it felt warm.”

He added: “I mean, it’s gonna be a competition because they get a record deal out of it at the end of it, but there was something natural and warm about the whole process.”

Celebrity X Factor contestants are rumoured to include former Strictly Come Dancing pro Brendan Cole, soap actor Jeremy Edwards, The Chase star Jenny ‘The Vixen’ Ryan, actor Vinnie Jones, Corrie star Lucy Fallon and chat show icon Ricki Lake.

More rumoured celebs include a group of rugby players – Thom Evans, Ben Foden and Levi Davis – as well as former Islanders Zara McDermott, Eyal Booker, Wes Nelson and Samira Mighty.

Together with the Celebrity X Factor will be a special ‘all stars’ series of the show.

Dermot teased that the spin-off would welcome back “a few of the winners, a few of the sort-of nearly winners and a few of the more eccentric people.”

Scheduling details for The X Factor this year have yet to be confirmed.