But daytime viewers will be delighted to know that BBC1 quiz show Eggheads is back next month for a second series.
First, Dermot, 46, is heading for a holiday with his young family - wife of 15 years Maria, 40, and their children, Kitty, 12, Molly, seven, Iris, five and two-year-old Jack.
"Anywhere with a bed and an alarm that doesn't go off before seven in the morning for the first week is a luxury," says Dermot, whose working day usually kicks off at 4am.
Although he spends his days interviewing anyone from an MP to a Hollywood film star, the kids aren't impressed. "In the morning, they would never cast a glance in my direction. It's straight over to CBeebies, where they spend their time with the Tweenies and the Fimbles. I'm not in Hollyoaks, so I'm not cool. Even my clothes are naff - ties and suits.
"I tend to go to bed more or less at the same time as the little ones and before the 12-year-old. During Euro 2004, I was watching an important England game. Kitty turned to me and said, `Time for bed, Dad, go on, you know you'll be tired in the morning if you don't go now'. And I thought, this is a complete role reversal, I'm meant to say that to you!"
What did give Dermot a few extra Brownie points was taking his girls along to the Strictly Come Dancing final, which saw his BBC1 Breakfast co-presenter, Natasha Kaplinsky, and partner trounce the competition. "I knew she'd win," says Dermot, proudly. "I was so delighted. I spent my month's salary voting for her."
With so much to pack in, Dermot's constantly thinking of ways to prolong his time in bed. "The hardest part of the day is getting up. A lot of people say that live television can be daunting, but I'm barely comatose when the red camera light comes on.
"The great thing about a breakfast show is its relaxed nature. It's a bit more like radio and doesn't have the corsets that a tailor-made bulletin does later on in the evening."
Six months after starting out as a reporter on a local newspaper in Coventry, Dermot became a Channel 4 researcher. He fronted news bulletins for ITV for 11 years, before being poached by the BBC in 2002. Now he sits firmly on the sofa next to Natasha.
It is rumoured that he's in the running to take over from Sir Trevor McDonald, should he retire from ITV next year. But Dermot isn't taking it too seriously. "I have my doubts as to whether Trevor will ever hang up the old newscasting tag. Trevor is Trevor, and there will never be a replacement.
"I've never made it a point in my career to hanker after anything. You'll only get disappointed if you do that. One of the things I did want to do was Breakfast, having watched the first-ever editions, with Frank Bough and Selina Scott, as a student. Exactly 20 years later, to be sitting there and presenting it - I did find it a bit of a blast."
Along the way, he's been involved in Treasure Hunt and The State We're In, as well as Eggheads. "Some of the greatest quiz brains are rounded up and get people to challenge them for money. If the Eggheads win, the prize money rolls over to the next show."
The intellectual team of five includes Judith Keppel (first winner of é1m on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?), Brain Of Britain Daphne Fowler and Mastermind champ Chris Hughes.
Although the new series is eagerly awaited by female fans, Dermot says he's uncomfortable as a heart-throb.
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