{{short description|Irish presenter (born 1983)}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date = April 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date = April 2019}} {{Infobox person | name = Eoghan McDermott | image = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1983|4|15|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Limerick]], Ireland<ref name=hotpress/> | other_names = Eoghan Mac Diarmada | known_for = ''[[The Voice of Ireland]]''<br />''The Eoghan McDermott Show''<br />''[[Love Island Australia]]''<br />''2FM Breakfast with Doireann and Eoghan'' | education = | alma_mater = | employer = [[Raidió Teilifís Éireann]] (RTÉ) <br /> [[Teilifís na Gaeilge]] ([[TG4]])<br />[[Channel 5 (British TV channel)|Channel 5]] | occupation = Presenter, actor, choreographer | title = | height = | term = | predecessor = | successor = | party = | boards = | spouse = | children = | parents = | relatives = | signature = | website = | footnotes = }} '''Eoghan McDermott''' (born 15 April 1983) is an Irish television and radio presenter. He has presented ''[[The RTÉ 2fm Breakfast Show]]'' on radio and hosted ''[[The Voice of Ireland]]'' and Ireland's [[Junior Eurovision Song Contest]] selection shows on television. He began his career presenting ''POP4'', a music programme on [[TG4]]. He also hosted [[Radio X (United Kingdom)|Xfm]] Drivetime on radio in the United Kingdom and has narrated ''[[Love Island Australia]]'' on television.
==Early life== McDermott was born in [[Limerick]] but grew up in [[Dublin]].<ref name=hotpress/> His father is Kevin McDermott, an author.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Needham |first=Lucy |date=9 August 2018 |title=All you need to know about Love Island Australia's narrator Eoghan McDermott |work=Daily Mirror |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/who-love-island-australia-narrator-13056251}}</ref> He is a middle child, the only boy either side of two sisters.<ref name=hotpress/> His younger sister, Roe McDermott, has written for ''[[Hot Press]]'' magazine.<ref name="hotpress">{{Cite news |last=Tyaransen |first=Olaf |title=Eoghan McDermott Interview |work=[[Hot Press]] |url=https://www.hotpress.com/culture/eoghan-mcdermott-interview-15172253 |authorlink=Olaf Tyaransen}}</ref>
When younger, and before he had a career in the media, McDermott intended to become a [[Garda Síochána|Garda]] (police officer) or a schoolteacher.<ref name="examiner-2015">{{Cite news |last=Fennell |first=Hilary |date=11 April 2015 |title=This much I know: Eoghan McDermott |work=[[Irish Examiner]] |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/arid-20323155.html}}</ref>
==Career== ===Television=== McDermott is a fluent speaker of the [[Irish language]] and originally started his media career on TG4's ''POP4'', a music request and top 40 show. This was followed by a role in TG4's youth drama ''[[Seacht (TV series)|Seacht]]'', in which he played the lead role of Pete. From here he progressed to ''POP4'', a weekly chart music show with live bands.<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 July 2010 |title=Fox Avenue - Save Your Dreaming |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHKotwUn2uw |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> Other presenting credits followed, including ''Frenemies'' – a youth debate game show for [[RTÉ2]] and ''Immeal Geall'', a bilingual magazine show for [[BBC Northern Ireland]]. He co-presented a series of ''[[The Movie Show (Irish TV series)|The Movie Show]]'' on [[RTÉ2]], which started in November 2012.<ref name="movieS">{{Cite news |date=1 November 2012 |title=Movie Show begins on RTÉ Two tonight |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2012/1101/441239-themovieshow/ |access-date=5 March 2022 |publisher=[[RTÉ News and Current Affairs]]}}</ref>
In 2008, McDermott entered [[MTV (UK and Ireland)|MTV UK]]'s ''Pick Me MTV'' competition, but lost out to [[Laura Whitmore]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ryan |first=Ali |date=2 March 2015 |title='Blast from the past' – Laura Whitmore shares throwback to Pick Me MTV |url=http://goss.ie/2015/03/where-it-all-began-laura-whitmore-shares-throwback-to-pick-me-mtv/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407072842/http://www.goss.ie/2015/03/where-it-all-began-laura-whitmore-shares-throwback-to-pick-me-mtv/ |archive-date=7 April 2015 |access-date=1 June 2017 |work=www.goss.ie}}</ref>
In September 2013, McDermott had his UK television debut, fronting UK reality show ''[[Celebrity Super Spa]]'' for [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]]. Other credits include a 2013 highlight show ''Totes Amazeballs'' and ''Next Year's News'', a satirical comedy-panel show anticipating big news stories for the year ahead. Both series broadcast on [[RTÉ2]]. He has co-presented ''[[The Voice of Ireland]]'' with [[Kathryn Thomas]] since its inception.<ref name="rte_voice_presenters">{{Cite web |title=The presenters |url=http://www.rte.ie/blogs/thevoice/presenters/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111090449/https://www.rte.ie/blogs/thevoice/presenters/ |archive-date=11 January 2012 |publisher=[[RTÉ]]}}</ref> For season 3 of ''The Voice'', McDermott fronted a live spin-off show on [[RTÉ2]]. He filmed a new series entitled ''Drunk'' for RTÉ2 in summer 2014, examining the effects of alcohol on the body and mind.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kelly |first=Aoife |date=11 September 2014 |title=RTE2 autumn schedule – Eoghan McDermott, Darren Kennedy, and Jennifer Maguire dominate with two shows each |url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/television/tv-news/rte2-autumn-schedule-eoghan-mcdermott-darren-kennedy-and-jennifer-maguire-dominate-with-two-shows-each-30580224.html |access-date=5 March 2022 |publisher=[[Irish Independent]]}}</ref>
In 2015, he began hosting [[Ireland in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest|Junior Eurovision Eire]], Ireland's national selection programme for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, which he hosted from 2015 to 2019, Ireland did not participate in 2020 and Louise Cantillon replaced him as host in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 October 2015 |title=Ireland debuts in Junior Eurovision Song Contest |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2015/1005/732571-irelands-debuts-in-junior-eurovision-song-contest/ |access-date=25 August 2021 |website=rte.ie}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=24 August 2021 |title=TG4 reveals its Autumn schedule |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2021/0824/1242636-tg4-reveals-its-autumn-schedule/ |access-date=25 August 2021 |website=[[RTÉ TEN]]}}</ref> He also filmed a pilot episode for a UK game show in [[Paris]], which was made by the team behind ''[[Gogglebox]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=13 October 2015 |title=Eoghan McDermott reveals new TV show shot in Paris |url=http://goss.ie/gallery/eoghan-mcdermott-reveals-he-filmed-a-new-tv-pilot-in-paris-48969}}</ref>
In June 2020, he hosted the [[telethon]] event ''[[RTÉ Does Comic Relief]]'', held to raise funds during the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland|COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-06-21 |title=Baz Ashmawy Announced Billed As Presenter For RTE Does Comic Relief |url=https://extra.ie/2020/06/21/entertainment/movies-tv/rte-does-comic-relief-baz-ashmawy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200621190921/https://extra.ie/2020/06/21/entertainment/movies-tv/rte-does-comic-relief-baz-ashmawy |archive-date=21 June 2020 |website=[[Extra.ie]]}}</ref>
McDermott has also narrated the reality dating series ''[[Love Island Australia]]''.<ref name="Domjen">{{Cite news |last=Domjen |first=Briana |date=1 July 2018 |title=Love Island Australia narrator Eoghan McDermott reveals why he won't go on the dating show |url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/love-island-australia-narrator-eoghan-mcdermott-reveals-why-he-wont-go-on-the-dating-show/news-story/b51fa73136161e4f956cd7574ca30041 |access-date=28 July 2018 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]] |location=Sydney}}</ref> On 20 September 2020, ITV Australia announced Stephen Mullan would replace him on Love Island Australia as "the narrator".<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 September 2021 |title=Love Island Australia to return to Channel Nine on October 4th |url=https://www.mediaweek.com.au/love-island-australia-to-return-to-channel-nine-on-october-4th/ |access-date=20 September 2021 |website=mediaweek.com.au}}</ref>
===Acting=== McDermott played the lead role of "DJ Pete" in all four series of the joint TG4/[[BBC Northern Ireland]] production, ''Seacht'', a teen drama.<ref name=rte_voice_presenters/> Of his time on ''Seacht'', McDermott later said: "That's the beauty of starting on a channel that doesn’t have a huge audience: you can make a lot of mistakes that go under the radar".<ref name=examiner-2015/>
===Choreography=== McDermott completed his dance training at the [[Broadway Dance Center]] and has worked as a dancer and choreographer, supporting acts such as [[Rihanna]], [[Pussycat Dolls]] and [[Chris Brown (American singer)|Chris Brown]].<ref name=rte_voice_presenters/>
===Radio=== McDermott started his radio career on a bi-lingual chart music show on Dublin radio station [[SPIN 1038]] in 2009. He also co-presented the successful "Sunday Service" before being poached by [[Global Radio]] in the UK.
In 2011 he moved abroad to the UK, where he began duties as host of Drive Time with radio station [[Radio X (United Kingdom)|XFM]].<ref name="almost-feel">{{Cite news |date=15 November 2017 |title=RTE star Eoghan McDermott praises doctor girlfriend Aoife Melia: 'I almost feel like I've got an inferiority complex' |work=Irish Independent |url=https://www.independent.ie/style/celebrity/celebrity-news/rte-star-eoghan-mcdermott-praises-doctor-girlfriend-aoife-melia-i-almost-feel-like-ive-got-an-inferiority-complex-36322696.html |access-date=15 November 2017}}</ref> In his first year, McDermott's show was syndicated to [[XFM Manchester]]. Shortly after, he was nominated for "Best Newcomer" in the national commercial radio awards, sponsored by [[Arqiva]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nominations |url=http://www.commercialradioawards.org/ArqivaAwards2012/Nominations.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801064620/http://www.commercialradioawards.org/ArqivaAwards2012/Nominations.html |archive-date=1 August 2013 |access-date=2014-05-12}}</ref> In April 2012, ''The Guardian'' newspaper, whilst discussing the new appointment of [[Greg James]] on BBC Radio1 Drivetime, claimed McDermott's show was the best DriveTime radio show of its genre in the UK.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dee |first=Johnny |date=3 April 2012 |title=What makes the perfect radio drivetime show? |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2012/apr/03/greg-james-bbc-radio-1-drivetime |via=www.theguardian.com}}</ref><ref name="rte_voice_presenters" />
His final show with the station aired on 21 December 2012. He said: "I left XFM because I had done it for two years. It is a great place to work with great people but I had had to turn down several pilots because of work. So I decided I wanted to focus on TV work and to do that I had to leave Xfm. And then I got ''[[Celebrity Super Spa]]''."<ref name="herald">{{Cite news |last=Sweeney |first=Ken |date=17 July 2013 |title=Eoghan lands Celeb Spa TV gig |work=Herald.ie |url=https://www.herald.ie/news/eoghan-lands-celeb-spa-tv-gig-29428135.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190808155744/https://www.herald.ie/news/eoghan-lands-celeb-spa-tv-gig-29428135.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 August 2019}} 03:30</ref> It coincided with a management change and the departure of [[Mary Anne Hobbs]] to [[6 Music]] and Breakfast presenter [[Danny Wallace (humorist)|Danny Wallace]] – although in a Twitter post shortly after his departure McDermott noted his final listenership figures were a record high. Although online speculation suggested a move to [[BBC Radio 1]], this never materialised.
In June 2014, it was announced that McDermott would present a show on [[RTÉ 2fm]] radio on the 7{{snd}}10{{nbsp}}am slot on Saturday and Sunday starting on 6 July.<ref>{{Cite news |date=20 June 2014 |title='I don't want to do bubble-gum, throwaway stuff' |work=[[Irish Independent]] |url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/radio/i-dont-want-to-do-bubblegum-throwaway-stuff-eoghan-mcdermott-has-big-plans-for-new-2fm-slot-30367791.html |access-date=20 June 2014}}</ref> Three months later, it was announced that he would stand in for [[Louise McSharry]] on the station's weekday evening slot for the next few months while she receives treatment for cancer.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Louise McSharry takes 6 months off to beat cancer |work=Independent.ie |url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/radio/louise-mcsharry-takes-6-months-off-to-beat-cancer-30546315.html}}</ref> In September 2015, McDermott took over from the Driveby show from [[Colm Hayes]] under a two-year contract.<ref>{{Cite news |date=23 June 2015 |title=Eoghan McDermott takes over 2fm drivetime show |publisher=[[RTÉ News and Current Affairs]] |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2015/0623/710073-rte-2fms-colm-hayes-to-leave-drivetime/}}</ref>
In June 2019, McDermott began presenting the [[The RTÉ 2fm Breakfast Show|new breakfast show]] on RTÉ 2fm alongside [[Garrihy sisters|Doireann Garrihy]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=5 June 2019 |title=There won't be 'competing egos' – Eoghan McDermott on new 2FM breakfast show with Doireann Garrihy |work=Irish Independent |url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/radio/there-wont-be-competing-egos-eoghan-mcdermott-on-new-2fm-breakfast-show-with-doireann-garrihy-38183704.html |access-date=5 June 2019}}</ref>
On 8 March 2021, RTÉ officially confirmed that McDermott had left his 2FM role after 3 weeks of "unplanned leave" and that he would not be returning due to the expiry of his contract.<ref>{{Cite news |date=8 March 2021 |title=RTÉ confirms Eoghan McDermott will not return to 2FM |publisher=[[RTÉ News and Current Affairs]] |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2021/0308/1202676-rte-confirms-eoghan-mcdermott-will-not-return-to-2fm/ |access-date=8 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=O'Brien |first=Mark |title=Eoghan McDermott set to shockingly quit RTE 2FM after six years |work=Dublin Live |url=https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/celebs/eoghan-mcdermott-leaves-rte-2fm-19952120 |access-date=3 March 2021}}</ref>
===Mental health advocacy=== McDermott gives talks throughout Ireland at various events about mental illness.<ref name="helped-a-teen">{{Cite news |last=Scully |first=Meghann |title=Eoghan McDermott reveals he helped a teenager struggling with depression |work=www.goss.ie |url=https://goss.ie/showbiz/eoghan-mcdermott-reveals-he-helped-a-teenager-struggling-with-depression-31386 |access-date=7 April 2015}}</ref> He made a video on the topic of [[self-harm]] for [[Pieta House]] in 2014, in which he referred to his own experience and later explained: "When you see first-hand what they are up to I thought it was a bit disingenuous to be preaching their merits without being honest about my own stuff... I'm not looking for praise, beyond feeling that it was worthwhile. You don't want to do that and have it go under the radar either. Not that you're looking for attention... If you feel you're going to put yourself out there... and you know you might upset people you're close to it's nice to feel it was worthwhile.".<ref name=helped-a-teen/>
==Personal life== On 2 March 2022, McDermott shared a letter on [[social media]] issued by [[solicitor]]s representing a client who it said had "made false allegations against him", which "arose out of a relationship which they had some years previously." The letter went on to acknowledge that the client "was above the [[age of consent]] at all times that she and Mr McDermott met or engaged in a physical relationship, contrary to her original claim." McDermott said he hoped sharing the letter could "close this chapter."<ref>{{Cite news |date=2 March 2022 |title=Eoghan McDermott: 'False allegations were made about me' |publisher=[[RTÉ News and Current Affairs]] |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2022/0302/1283971-mcdermott-false-allegations-were-made-about-me/ |access-date=5 March 2022}}</ref><ref name="McDermott_2022">{{Cite news |last=Hilliard |first=Mark |date=2 March 2022 |title=Ex-RTÉ presenter seeks to clear name after 'false accusations' |publisher=[[The Irish Times]] |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/ex-rt%C3%A9-presenter-eoghan-mcdermott-seeks-to-clear-name-after-false-accusations-1.4816718 |access-date=4 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Finn |first1=Melanie |last2=Phelan |first2=Shane |date=2 March 2022 |title=Eoghan McDermott accuser accepts she was at age of consent when they had physical relationship |publisher=[[Irish Independent]] |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/eoghan-mcdermott-accuser-accepts-she-was-at-age-of-consent-when-they-had-physical-relationship-41403659.html |access-date=5 March 2022}}</ref> McDermott subsequently deactivated his Twitter account.<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 March 2022 |title=Eoghan McDermott shuts down Twitter account one week after publishing legal letter |publisher=[[Sunday World]] |url=https://www.sundayworld.com/showbiz/irish-showbiz/eoghan-mcdermott-shuts-down-twitter-account-one-week-after-publishing-legal-letter-41428661.html/ |access-date=9 March 2022}}</ref>
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role |- |2003 |Pop 4 |Presenter |- | 2010–2011 | ''[[Seacht (TV series)|Seacht]]'' <ref name=examiner-2015/><ref name=rte_voice_presenters/> | DJ Pete |- | 2011 | ''Frenemies'' <ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.independent.ie/regionals/wexford/enniscorthy-news/gorey-teens-to-feature-on-rte-gameshow-this-week/27246271.html | work = Enniscorthy Guardian | title = Gorey teens to feature on RTE gameshow this week | date = 19 April 2011 | accessdate = 13 December 2023 }}</ref> | Presenter |- | 2012–2016 | ''[[The Voice of Ireland]]''<ref name="rte_voice_presenters"/> | Co-presenter |- | 2013 |''[[Celebrity Super Spa]]''<ref name="herald"/> | Co-presenter |- | 2015–2019 | ''[[Ireland in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2015|Junior Eurovision Eire]]'' | Presenter |- |2018 |[[Home of the Year|''Celebrity Home of the Year'']] |Contestant |- |2018–2020, 2022–2022 | ''[[Love Island Australia]]''<ref name="Domjen"/> |Narrator |- |2020 |''RTÉ Does Comic Relief'' |Presenter |- |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McDermott, Eoghan}} [[Category:1983 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Irish male dancers]] [[Category:Irish radio presenters]] [[Category:Irish male television actors]] [[Category:Modern dancers]] [[Category:TG4 presenters]] [[Category:Actors from County Limerick]] [[Category:Male actors from County Dublin]] [[Category:Broadcasters from County Dublin]]