Dermot Bannon: 'With Vogue, what you see is what you get'

The architect talks to Eve Kelliher about how visiting celebrities' dream homes for his new TV series has been an eye-opener in many ways

Sun, 26 Apr, 2026 - 23:32

Eve Kelliher

You’d think Dermot Bannon had known his hosts forever when you watch him stepping beyond their front doors in his new TV show. Not so fast.

The architect takes us on a surreal snoop around the homes of Irish celebrities, starting with Vogue Williams and including Joanne McNally and Clodagh McKenna, in the new RTÉ two-parter he presents, Dermot Bannon’s Celebrity Super Spaces.

Talking to Dermot ahead of the broadcast this weekend, he says, “I never met any of them before. OK, I did a photoshoot with Vogue years ago. But that would have been with a big gang of us. And I was on a chat show the same night as Clodagh once, but our paths wouldn’t have crossed for long.”

We get to see Dermot getting up close and personal, as well as scanning their spaces. So how did he build up his rapport? “I like people!” he says.

The fact that this incarnation of Super Spaces features the homeowners makes an enormous difference, according to the architect. “Normally I wander around by myself, and I’m explaining to the camera,” says Dermot. “This time I get to talk to the owners.

“And it was really nice. They were great craic — they’re all brilliant characters. They all have ‘super spaces’, and they all had an input into these spaces. These aren’t just regular spaces. These houses would stand on their own without a celebrity.”

Vogue Williams and Spencer Matthews with Dermot Bannon.

Pointing out that it was his first time actually conducting interviews, he adds: “I’m good at explaining — or mansplaining, as some people, including a cousin of mine, would have it — but for this I had to listen.

“There’s a lot about these people that we already know. I wanted to find out something different. That was the target I set myself.”

So what approach did Dermot take as shooting commenced? “Well, sometimes on ‘Room to Improve’ I would say to myself, what would Kevin McCloud [of Channel 4’s ‘Grand Designs’] say here? I’ll go into my ‘Kevin McCloud head’. For this, I go into my Louis Theroux head!”

Interviewing others proved fascinating, reveals Dermot. “I had to learn to leave silences — learning how to do the interviews and how to get something from people,” he adds.

Vogue isn't usually a person who tends to sit down much, as Dermot observes on the show.

But it also involved a lot of research, he discovered. “I had to actually read notes and books — normally I’m reading plans, rooms, buildings.”

This included reading Vogue’s autobiography. “I armed myself in this way,” he says.

And did Vogue turn out to be as he expected? “She is lovely — a real sweetheart! What you see is what you get — which isn’t always the case with celebs!” says Dermot.

“We were filming in their house for eight hours, so there’s a lot of time when you’re not on camera. You’re just hanging out — and Vogue is exactly the same off camera.

“Vogue does what she does. She’s a reality TV star.

“She’s also very kind. She worries about the people around her.

"Everybody’s in her house all the time; her sister lives there, and her aunts are in and out. She’s a people person. She likes having people there, chatting and talking.”

Children's bedroom in the home of Vogue Wililams.

Filming took place last year, in Vogue’s case, just before her 40th birthday celebrations.

In the first episode, Dermot also makes his way to the dazzling home of jewellery designer Chupi Sweetman.

Ireland rugby star Andrew Porter and music producer Don Mescal both open their doors to the architect next.

Andrew shows Dermot his simply designed home in the foothills of the Wicklow mountains, as well as his new business venture, a gym he has designed himself.

Meanwhile, in Cavan, Don gives Dermot a tour of his home, which is a renovated church.

Geri O'Toole in her 'happy space' at home. Picture: Ruth Maria Murphy

Finally, in Limerick, interior designer to the stars Geri O’Toole gives Dermot insider access to her converted 19th-century cottage and outhouses. Along the way, she shares her experiences on what it’s like working with famous and wealthy clients and how she manages their expectations.

Geri O'Toole's Limerick home. Picture: Ruth Maria Murphy

Episode two sees Dermot step into the bright and brilliant home of comic Joanne McNally in Clapham, London.

Then the architect heads over to Sadler’s Wells East, designed by O’Donnell + Tuomey and part of London’s East Bank cultural district. It’s a civic building shaped around dancers’ needs.

Musician and singer Camille O’Sullivan and actor Aidan Gillen have opened their Dublin home, a nine-year-long labour of love that recently won the RIAI Public Choice Award.

The kitchen/dining room in Chupi Sweetman's Dublin home. Picture: Moya Nolan

Camille and Aidan have brought this 1940s protected structure back to life from dereliction, reinstating it as a family home.

Dermot also gets to step inside the dressing room of drag queen, Panti Bliss, as Rory O’Neill showcases a treasure trove of drag couture.

For his final stop, Dermot visits chef Clodagh McKenna.

The golden staircase in Chupi Sweetman's home in Rathgar. Picture: Moya Nolan

The celebrity chef lives in a 300-year-old cottage in Broadspear, in England, where she runs a 100-acre sustainable farm in the grounds of Highclere Castle in Hampshire with her husband, Harry.