ITV This Morning’s Dermot O’Leary announces new role - days before Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley' debut

ok.co.uk:

This Morning's Dermot O'Leary has shared exciting news about a new hosting gig - just days before Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley step in as the show's new hosts.

Dermot, 50, who usually presents the ITV daytime show with Alison Hammond, 49, on Fridays, is set to host a special episode of Saving Lives at Sea on BBC Two.

The programme, which has been showcasing the heroic rescues carried out by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) since 2016, will see Dermot exploring the RNLI's role during World War II.The TV star will visit various coastal lifeboat stations, sharing dramatic stories from past crews.The special episode will feature lifeboat stations including Aldeburgh, Margate, St Peter Port, Cromer, and Penlee.

Viewers will also learn about the RNLI's involvement in the 1940 Dunkirk evacuation and the Channel Island occupation. Dermot, who is a big history buff and an ambassador for the RNLI, shared his excitement about the project, saying: "As an ambassador for the RNLI and a huge history fan it was a privilege for me to uncover some of the untold stories that saw ordinary volunteers get involved in some of the most extraordinary events of the Second World War. "The brave men and women we heard about left a real impression on me, as did the present-day volunteers I was able to meet along the way who are still saving lives at sea today." Mark Dowie, the boss of RNLI, also spoke about the special episode.