EXCLUSIVE Dermot O'Leary: 'Simon Cowell's X Factor advice helped me write children's book'

He has already conquered the world of TV and radio, but much-loved star Dermot O’Leary has plenty more up his sleeve, publishing his first children’s book, ‘Toto the Ninja Cat and the Great Snake Escape’, this month.

Inspired by his real-life cats, we caught up with Dermot to talk all things ‘Toto’ in an exclusive chat.

Speaking to Yahoo Celeb UK, the X Factor host explained how his and his wife Dee’s pets, Toto and Silver, encouraged him to write the novel, with Silver tragically passing away in July of this year.

He told us: “My wife and I got a couple of cats who we rescued as strays from our house in Puglia, Italy. Silver was the eldest and his sister Toto was the runt of the litter.

“We worked out quite quickly that Toto couldn’t really see that well but she had lightning fast reactions; if you were playing around she could lash out with her claws super swift.

“I thought that would make a lovely idea for a book: that there’s this cat who is a lovely, mild-mannered kitten during the day and then a Ninja by night!

“Silver is more than just a side-kick in the books, he was more laid-back than Toto. In real life, Toto is a very earnest, loving cat.”

As well as his cats, Dermot’s nine-year-old niece also helped him with his first fiction book.

“My niece was a big help, I noticed when reading to her how kids pick up so much more than you’d think,” Dermot told us, “I get on really well with my niece – she’s nine and I know what her sense of humour is like.

“I figured I’d write with her in mind, she was my audience.”

Dermot went on to explain that he has always been a keen writer and that it’d be a “huge deal” to him if being an author was as successful for him as broadcasting and hosting.

He shared: “I’ve always enjoyed the form but until I wrote my first book I didn’t realise how much.

“I went about writing the children’s book in the same way that I wrote [his autobiography] ‘The Soundtrack To My Life‘; some chapters are more involved and others are much shorter and sharper.

“If I were ever to be considered an author too, that would be a huge deal for me. I love broadcasting and hosting, but writing is something I’d love to do as well.”

And the star admitted that advice from an unlikely source helped him with the writing process, with Dermot confessing that Simon Cowell’s words of wisdom to X Factor hopefuls rung true in his ears when it came to putting pen to paper.

Dermot explained: “Simon Cowell always says there’s no such thing as a perfect first audition. He always says that and does give people a second chance.

“[That’s] good advice when writing, first drafts always need working on.

“I’m excited to see what all my family, friends and colleagues think of the book – Simon’s son, Eric, will definitely be getting a copy.”

We’re sure that he will bloomin’ love it.

‘Toto the Ninja Cat and the Great Snake Escape’ by Dermot O’Leary (illustrated by Nick East) is out on 21st September in paperback.

Also available as an unabridged audiobook narrated by Dermot O’Leary.

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