Dermot O’Leary has revealed he has never watched his X Factor rival Strictly Come Dancing.
The presenter, who has fronted ITV’s flagship singing competition for over 10 years, told Radio Times: “Do you know, I’ve never actually watched Strictly. Because I’m always on air when it’s on.”
When asked if he’d consider catching up with the show on iPlayer, he replied: “No. That would be a sense of betrayal.”
The BBC ballroom show and the ITV series have long vied for ratings, often being scheduled in clashing spots on a Saturday night.
But in recent years Strictly has edged past The X Factor, which has suffered in the ratings, with the 2017 edition pulling in an average of just 4.4 million viewers to Strictly’s 9.9 million.
However, O’Leary has previously denied those involved in the show are concerned by viewers’ falling interest in the contest.
He told Ok! magazine: “Do you know what we are? We’re very comfortable in our own skin now. We’ve been doing it for so long, we all love doing it and we’re not under any pressure from the channel. We’re still rating well, it’s just not where it was.”
Strictly Come Dancing 2017 - In pictures
Dermot O’Leary hosts the National Television Awards which airs Tuesday, January 23 at 7.30pm on ITV.
