A PROMISE to give Dermot O'Leary more beauty sleep helped pave the way for the former Colchester Sixth Form student to return to the X Factor.

The television favourite will return to the nation's biggest singing contest after just one series away, and Dermot has bartered with producers to give him more time in bed during the gruelling audition phase of the show.

He said: "My return was skilfully negotiated around a slightly later call time, which I cherish!"

"When you get your head around the fact you're going to work until 2am then it's fine, I don't mind working till 2am as long as I don't have to start at 8am the next day."

The popular presenter admits he had reservations about returning but missed being part of the X Factor bubble.

He said: "I felt like I had drawn a line in the sand. Then I gave myself some time to think about it and I realised I had missed the live shows and I missed the team.

"Like any job, if you do it for eight years it becomes ingrained in you. I love making a Saturday night entertainment show and there aren't many around."