Dermot O’Leary Shares Plans to Grow Family on This Morning, Quashing Divorce Rumors with Love and Hope 💞🌱

On a radiant May morning in 2025, the This Morning studio glowed with its signature warmth, but Dermot O’Leary, the 51-year-old broadcaster beloved for his charm on The X Factor (2007–2018) and his Friday hosting role, brought a deeply personal moment to the ITV set. Married to Dee Koppang, a Netflix director, and father to their son Kasper, born in 2020, Dermot had faced whispers of divorce rumors in tabloids, despite his stable 12-year marriage. On May 19, 2025, he silenced the speculation on This Morning, revealing plans to expand his family with Dee, a decision rooted in love and resilience. Shared with co-host Alison Hammond and guest Holly Willoughby, the announcement, tied to their journey through fertility challenges, left fans inspired, proving that hope and unity can triumph over gossip.

A Studio Moment of Clarity

The This Morning set, decked with spring greens and soft lights, hummed with Friday energy as Dermot and Alison, 50, opened the show. Their friendship, sparked on Big Brother’s Little Brother in 2002, shone through—Alison’s hearty laugh pairing with Dermot’s quick wit, a dynamic fans adored from their 2023 dance to Mariah Carey’s “Touch My Body.” Holly Willoughby, a guest host after her 2021–2023 This Morning stint, added warmth, recalling her 2022 BRIT Awards collaboration with Dermot. After a segment on summer gardening, Dermot, in a crisp blue shirt, paused, his tone earnest. “I want to clear something up and share some news,” he said, quieting the studio, including guests Josie Gibson and Gyles Brandreth.

Dermot, who’d reflected in a 2024 Sunday Times interview on fatherhood shifting his priorities, addressed the rumors head-on. “There’s been talk about Dee and me splitting, and it’s nonsense,” he said firmly. “We’ve been together 23 years, married 12, and stronger than ever.” He smiled, adding, “Instead of drifting apart, we’re planning to grow our family.” The audience cheered, Alison exclaiming, “Oh, Dermot, that’s beautiful!” Dermot revealed that he and Dee, after their “rocky road” to parenthood noted in a 2020 Daily Mail interview, were exploring options like adoption or IVF for another child, a plan that quashed rumors with hope.

A Plan Rooted in Love

Dermot shared the story behind their decision, his voice warm with emotion, echoing his 2023 This Morning tears over a viewer’s tale. “Kasper’s changed our world,” he said, referencing their son, now 4, whose birth during lockdown was a “blessing” per a 2021 Daily Mail interview. “But Dee and I feel there’s more love to give.” He recounted a quiet moment in their Primrose Hill home, where Dee, inspired by her work on The Split and its themes of family, suggested they expand their “tribe.” Dermot admitted the divorce rumors, which surfaced in early 2025 tabloids, stung, but they pushed the couple closer. “Gossip hurts, but it reminded us what matters—our family,” he said.

The plan wasn’t without challenges. Dermot nodded to Dee’s demanding career, directing Bridgerton and The Crown, and their fertility struggles, hinted at in her 2024 Instagram post about their “miracle journey.” Yet, their resolve grew, inspired by a 2024 This Morning segment where Alison interviewed an adoption advocate, a moment Dermot said “planted a seed.” “We’re open to adoption, IVF, whatever brings us together,” he shared, his Irish roots—celebrated in his 2024 ITV documentary with his dad—shining through in his belief in “family as home.” Alison, visibly moved, said, “You and Dee are pure love, Dermot.”

Alison’s Touch of Heart

As applause swelled, Alison, known for heartfelt gestures in your prior requests, unveiled a surprise. “This is for your future family,” she said, presenting a small wooden box, crafted by a Birmingham carpenter. Inside was a hand-stitched baby blanket, embroidered with “Koppang O’Leary” and a Celtic knot, symbolizing unity. “For Kasper’s sibling, whoever they are,” Alison said, her voice thick, echoing her 2024 Mary’s Meals appeal with Dermot. Dermot, who’d voiced Amazon Prime ads and written Wings of Glory in 2024, clutched the blanket, saying, “Al, you’ve got me choked up.”

Holly added a gift: a donation in the family’s name to Barnardo’s, Dermot’s supported charity, to fund adoption support for 75 families. “Your next child will have a brighter world,” Holly said, her Dancing on Ice grace evident. Dermot, who’d navigated This Morning’s 2023 presenter shifts, hugged them, saying, “Dee’s going to treasure this.” The audience, live and at home, roared, with Josie tweeting, “Dermot and Dee planning a bigger family? Alison’s blanket has me sobbing! 🥰.” The segment, watched by 1.3 million, per ITV, became a beacon of love over rumor.

Fans Rally in Support

The announcement went viral, with a viewer’s X post—“Dermot O’Leary shuts down divorce rumors and plans new family members? Alison’s blanket gift is everything! 😭💞 #KoppangOLeary”—hitting 3.5 million views. A clip of Dermot’s speech, captioned “Love wins over gossip,” trended with #KoppangOLeary, amassing 4.2 million streams. Fans tweeted, “Dermot and Dee’s family plans after those rubbish rumors? Crying for their strength! 🥰,” while another wrote, “Alison’s blanket and Holly’s donation? This Morning’s family is gold! 💖.” The Express headlined, “Dermot O’Leary’s Family Joy Crushes Divorce Talk.”

The story inspired action, with viewers donating £85,000 to Barnardo’s, per the charity’s report, and fans sharing adoption stories. Dee posted on Instagram: a photo of Kasper holding the blanket, captioned, “Our next chapter, thanks to our This Morning family.” Dermot told Radio Times, “Those rumors were noise—our family’s the signal. Alison and Holly made it shine.” Kasper, calling himself “a big brother soon,” drew a family portrait for the nursery, hung beside a 2012 wedding photo, tying their journey together.

A Future Full of Hope

The reveal’s impact grew. Dermot and Alison launched a This Morning “Family Forward” fund on June 1, 2025, raising £150,000 for adoption and fertility support, with Holly hosting a segment showing the blanket in the studio. Fans on X captured the sentiment, one writing, “Dermot O’Leary’s family plans over divorce lies? Alison’s gift is pure heart! 🌟💞.” Another tweeted, “From fertility struggles to a bigger family, Dermot and Dee’s love, with Holly’s touch, is why we adore them! 💙.” As Dermot and Dee prepared for their next child, their story—of love silencing rumors and hope building futures—proved that family, like a Celtic knot, endures, lighting up screens and hearts alike. 💞🌱