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Des Bishop: 'I can't compete with Cillian Murphy's billion-dollar eyes!'

Angela Scanlon is joined by Dermot O'Leary, Jacqui Hurley and Des Bishop for Angela Scanlon's Ask Me Anything. Pictures: RTÉ/Andres Poveda
Angela Scanlon is joined by Dermot O'Leary, Jacqui Hurley and Des Bishop for Angela Scanlon's Ask Me Anything. Pictures: RTÉ/Andres Poveda

Comedian Des Bishop has joked that he can't compete in the sexiness stakes with his old schoolmate Cillian Murphy.

Bishop is among the guests on tonight's Angela Scanlon's Ask Me Anything, and he recalls being nominated as Ireland's Sexiest Man alongside Murphy - way back in 2005.

"He's my good buddy, we were in college together! He is better looking than me... I'm not trying to compete with Cillian Murphy's cheekbones and his billion-dollar eyes," Des says.

"The reality is that probably Cillian said, 'I don't want to be involved in that competition', so that’s why he wasn't Number One, but I was desperate, I was like, 'Please, please love me, please!'"

Sunday Game host Jacqui Hurley also joins Angela on the couch tonight, and she talks about how viewers have sometimes approached her in pubs to give her bad a time.

"I was in a bar a few years ago and this guy had come to me, and this was probably about 10 years ago, and he had said, 'I think you're terrible. You're an absolute pain in the h***. You know nothing about sport, you're s****!'" Jacqui recalls.

"And I was like, 'Alright, I'll take that on board, thanks for the chat'. So, I was like, 'Grand, whatever!' I swear to God, a year later, the same man came up to me in the pub and he said, 'You're actually not that bad, you've actually really grown on me!' And I was like, 'Thank you, I take that as an absolute massive compliment!'"

Angela's final guest is Dermot O'Leary, and he discusses his citizenship.

"I don't have both passports; the audience will like the answer so don't worry! My parents never got me a British passport," he says. "It wasn't even a thing! So, if anyone's watching from the Irish Foreign Ministry, my son would desperately like one!"

He also reveals what it's like working with Simon Cowell on The X Factor.

"Simon Cowell is the most fun you are ever going to have! He can be a tough boss, but everyone said he was 'Mr Nasty', but I never saw that side to him, there was never the 'hairdryer treatment'.

"He was like the Victorian dad; he'd be disappointed not angry! He was a really fair boss, always listened and a really good, fun night out, loves a gossip!"

Angela Scanlon's Ask Me Anything, RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, Saturdays, 9.50pm

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