O'Leary wants Essex 'party' at Radio 2 in the Park

Dermot O'Leary started his media career as a runner at BBC Essex

Dermot O'Leary has called on crowds attending Radio 2 in the Park to show people "how Essex can party".

The event will take place at Hylands Park, near Chelmsford, from 5 to 7 September, with Bryan Adams and Def Leppard headlining.

O'Leary, who grew up in Colchester and who now hosts the station's Saturday breakfast show, said "my mission for Essex... Chelmsford has got to bring it".

Fellow Radio 2 hosts Rylan Clark and Ellie Taylor also hail from Essex, while Witham's Olly Murs is due to perform on the Sunday.

Speaking to BBC Essex, O'Leary said: "There's something in the water in Essex, it's a very special county.

"My family are from Ireland, they moved over and my parents didn't really want to live in London and moved out to Colchester.

"It was so lucky, my dad was on the train out to Brightlingsea to see family.

"He went past Colchester and saw they were building houses that he could afford and that he could still get to London in an hour.

"It [Colchester] was such a nice place to grow up, it was gorgeous.

"I have so much affinity [with the city]. Every time I go back I see a different side to it.

"I love how it evolves."

O'Leary, who has presented the X Factor and This Morning, started his media career as a runner on BBC Essex's Saturday afternoon sport show.

Rylan Clark and Ellie Taylor have told of their excitement at the announcement

Hylands Park is no stranger to hosting music events, having hosted the V Festival between 1996 and 2017.

Belinda Carlisle, Ronan Keating, Jessie J, Ella Henderson and Stereophonics are also on the bill for the Radio 2 in the Park event.

In recent years, the festival has been held in Preston in Lancashire and in Leicester.

V Festival took place at Hylands Park in Essex between 1996 to 2017