NTAs host Joel Dommett says stunning wife is his ‘secret weapon’ for awards do
HE’s handsome, charming and funny — yet Joel Dommett says he landed the biggest gig of his career thanks to his model wife.
The funnyman takes over from David Walliams as presenter at the National Television Awards this Thursday.
And Joel admits stunning Hannah Cooper's influence has been invaluable – and made him a much better telly host.
She’s also stepped in to ensure his ego doesn’t spiral out of control.
In an exclusive chat, Joel told me: “I owe her everything.
“We met at the perfect time, especially in regards to my career, as she’s helped me stay focused and if ever I have a grand idea of myself she quickly brings me back down to earth and keeps me grounded.
“Hannah is my secret weapon. She makes me feel like I’m a better person and made me re-evaluate my priorities.”
Joel met his wife of two years shortly after his stint in the 2016 series of I’m A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out of Here, where he spent most of his time flirting with Carol Vorderman.
He’s since become host of ITV juggernaut The Masked Singer and made his TV debut alongside his missus on the last series of Celebrity Gogglebox.
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And their sofa antics in the Channel 4 show have given the couple an appetite to do more telly together – with Joel saying they fancy themselves as the new Richard and Judy.
Joel explains: “That’s genuinely my thing for the next couple of years.
“I like working with her and I want to do more of that stuff, plus I just think she’s really good at it.”
He added: “There’s definitely people out there who are doing it that are worse than she is.
“I really feel with someone like Hannah, someone that beautiful you shouldn’t like, she’s got this likeability other people that beautiful don’t have.
“It’s very fun to watch I think.”
Watch this space . . .
I'M A FAN OF ANNE
GOOD job Hannah is the understanding type as Joel is incredibly open about his top showbiz crush.
And he could bump into her at Thursday’s bash as pop star Anne-Marie, a coach on ITV series The Voice, may well be representing the singing show at London’s O2 Arena.
Joel might not find that personally awkward but others might.
Explaining his feelings for the Essex girl, Joel says: “My first presenting job was on MTV News and I did this show with Anne-Marie called Bring The Noise.
I was like, ‘she is SO amazing’.
“I’d tell Anne-Marie to her face that I fancied her, and I tell my wife all the time.
“We keep going to events together and I’m like, ‘yay all my favourite people are together in one room – the two people I fancy the most!’”
He joked: “I make it very awkward for everyone then glide away and let it fester.”
STAND-UP HELPS MY NERVES
JOEL says being a stand-up comic is the perfect preparation for hosting a show as big as the NTAs.
He credits comedy for increasing his confidence in public speaking, a problem he tried to overcome during his early days as an actor.
The funnyman explains: “I’ve had my issues with confidence in the past and that’s why I started doing stand-up.
“I did acting but couldn’t do auditions because I had zero confidence.
“I’d just fall apart in a room of two people and be nervous, shaking and falling apart.
“With stand-up, I thought if I can talk to 200 people in a room, I should be able to talk to two people in a room.”
Joel played in goal in front of a 60,000 crowd at Soccer Aid on Saturday and said: “I’m hoping that the NTAs in front of 10,000 will feel easy.”
He’ll struggle to make a gaffe as bad as letting in Kem Cetinay’s shot for the opening goal.
The Masked Winner?
JOEL would revel in the glory if The Masked Singer came away with a gong.
The NTAs host admits any impartiality would vanish if the cult ITV series beat the likes of Strictly Come Dancing and Britain’s Got Talent in the Best Talent Show category.
He says: “It’s the narcissist’s dream to hand an award to himself. It’ll be more awkward if we lose.
"Normally if you lose the camera pans off you but it will pan back on to me.”
IT'S TIME TO VOTE
SEE the full NTA nominees list and then vote free at (Or by phone on 0905 647 2021.
Calls cost 25p per minute, plus your network access charge, and should last no longer than seven minutes). Votes must be in by noon this Thursday.
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All new votes will be added to those submitted in the first round of voting.
Results will be revealed at the ceremony, live on ITV from The O2, London, on Thursday from 7.30pm.
