Speculation is rife that Loose Women star Brenda Edwards is the celebrity behind the Toastie costume on the current series of ITV's The Masked Singer UK. The panellist, 56, has been forced to address the growing rumours after her fellow Loose Women presenters became "convinced" it was her following last weekend's performance.
Co-Stars Put Brenda on the Spot
Returning to the ITV daytime show on Wednesday, Edwards found herself in the hot seat. She revealed her phone had been "going off" with messages, including one from co-host Coleen Nolan who directly asked if she was the singing sandwich. Brenda expertly deflected, stating, "I'm really enjoying the show, it's really exciting and entertaining, isn't it? You've all been asking, stop it."
Jane Moore was particularly adamant, declaring she would "put money on it right now." Moore reasoned that the clue "Toastie because you're always warm" pointed directly to Brenda's personality, though she admitted being puzzled by the costume's red hat.
Judges and Fans Weigh In With Guesses
The mystery performer, who sang Whitney Houston's "Run To You," has sparked a wide array of guesses from the show's panel. In the first round, Davina McCall suggested Big Brother's Craig Phillips, while Jonathan Ross pondered Fergie or Jennifer Hudson. Maya Jama thought it was Emeli Sandé, and Mo Gilligan guessed Rebecca Ferguson.
However, a strong contingent of viewers agree with the Loose Women theory. Fans took to social media platform X to voice their suspicions, with one writing, "Calling it now, Toastie is Brenda Edwards," and another stating, "I'm going with Brenda Edwards for Toastie." Some fans, however, have suggested former X Factor contestant Marcus Collins.
The Competing Alison Hammond Theory
Not all the speculation is centred on Brenda Edwards. A significant number of viewers are convinced the star inside the Toastie costume is fellow ITV daytime favourite Alison Hammond. Fans claim to have detected a tell-tale Brummie accent beneath a fabricated Liverpool one in the clue video.
One viewer commented on X: "Alison Hammond? Brummie accent in the VT, couple of references to masterchef and I’m sure she was on the celebrity version." Hammond, who hosts This Morning and The Great British Bake Off, previously appeared on a celebrity special of the show as Witchetty Grub in 2022.
Toastie survived the latest round, which saw Sex Pistols legend John Lydon unmasked as Yak. As the competition continues, the question of who is truly behind the melted cheese sandwich remains the show's hottest topic.
Away from the speculation, Brenda Edwards continues her work on Loose Women and recently celebrated a new romance, sharing a heartfelt tribute to her partner on Instagram towards the end of last year.
