Hundreds of fans queued through a busy Tesco store to meet X Factor presenter Dermot O’Leary.

The Radio 2 DJ was signing copies of his new book at the Highwoods store in his home town of Colchester today.

Dermot, 41, pops back to the town when he gets the chance, and earlier in the year visited his old school, St Benedict’s Catholic College and the Colchester Sixth Form..

The crowds cheered as Dermot arrived at the store with some queuing from 4pm in anticipation of his arrival at 5pm, though the star was held up in traffic and delayed by almost an hour.

Dermot apologised to his fans for the delay, but the hold-up did not stop copies of his book The Soundtrack to my Life from flying off the shelves.

The TV personality said: “When we sat down and said we would do a book tour I said semi-joking we will do Colchester, but they always do a home town one and here I am.

“I thought it would be a pipe dream but it is good to be back.”

After signing books Dermot said he would be heading off to have dinner with “five or six mates and my Dad, but mum is out of town.”

In the book he makes reference to roller skating at the Triangle – now Rollerworld – and how it inspired him to buy his first record, I can’t Wait by Nu Shooz.

Commenting on the success so far of fellow Colchester-boy Stevi Richie in this year’s X Factor he added: “Every week he thinks he is going home but he is still here.

“He is such a lovely man, he knows he is not the best singer in the world but he is a good lad.

“He is really popular, everyone likes him.”

Yasmin Austin and friend Jade Young, both 13 and from Ardleigh, were first in the queue to meet the Dermot.

Yasmin, a Manningtree High School pupil, said: “My mum picked us up from school and took us straight here. We are big fans and we love the X Factor.

“I’m very excited to see him.”