Anna’s hero: the builders’ Grinch
Room To Improve star Dermot Bannon leaves Toy Show’s budding young architect delighted as her dream comes true
IF ANYONE can make a functional and aesthetically pleasing chimney for Santa to slide down, it’s TV architect Dermot Bannon.
And while the Room To Improve presenter can, at times, be a Grinch to his patient builders, he was full of Christmas cheer on this week’s Late Late Toy Show.
Bannon, an unlikely hero, made young girl Anna McGrath’s Christmas come true on Friday night.
Speaking to the Irish Mail on Sunday, Anna’s mother, Annette, said that her budding architect daughter was thrilled at appearing on the Toy Show and also at getting to meet Dermot Bannon.
‘She’s delighted with it all, and Dermot Bannon coming on it was a real extra,’ she said.
The ten-year-old’s building blocks to her Toy Show appearance began a few weeks ago, when her dance teacher sent one of her Lego creations to producers at Montrose.
‘She had done a model house with Lego and three little figures and they were talking, and she said: “Watch out, Dermot Bannon, I’ll take over your show yet.”’ Anna then successfully auditioned, and two weeks ago she was given the news that she was one of the chosen children.
Annette explained that her daughter gets inspiration from watching Dermot on Room To Improve and has designs on renovating the family home in Boyle.
‘She just likes building stuff and she really likes watching Room To Improve and how he changes things. She always played with Lego and she loves drawing; she draws pictures of everything.
‘But watching that programme, she is always getting ideas. She would say about our house: “God, it’s a pity we have that wall there, or we could do this and that with it,”’ laughed her mother.
Dermot is one of Anna’s idols, so she was understandably thrilled that he put in an appearance.
‘She’s a big fan of his and a big fan of the show. After it, he came and got a photo taken, and he stayed for a while,’ Annette said.
‘He couldn’t have been any nicer. He gave her a sketch pad and pencils and told her to keep drawing. That’s how he started off; he didn’t grow up with a family of architects.’
Anna is in fourth class at Grange National School in Boyle, Co. Roscommon and such is her celebrity in the parish that she even merited a mention at Mass.
‘It’s only a small school; there’s only 32 pupils in the school. The priest even made a big fuss of her at Mass. Everyone is delighted for her. It’s always nice to know someone on it. The Toy Show has always been a big thing, we all grew up with it. You would watch it with your sweets,’ said Annette.
Anna also met host Ryan Tubridy, who was on hand to soothe any last-minute nerves – from the worried parents, that is.
‘Ryan was great. He made all the children calm and he gave them all high fives. All of the kids were really excited. I think it’s the parents that were nervous,’ she laughed.
While Ryan may be a more recognisable RTÉ star, for Anna, it’s Dermot Bannon’s career that she aspires to.
After her appearance, Bannon presented the star-struck young girl with a copy of his book and a personal message.
‘He gave her his book and that will always be there,’ said her mother. ‘He signed it and wrote: “It was a privilege to be on the show. Follow your dreams.”’
‘She has designs on renovating our house’