Viewers of ITV's The Masked Singer were treated to a festive surprise as the winner of this year's Christmas special was unmasked as a beloved daytime television presenter.
Festive Unmaskings Stun Panel and Audience
The Boxing Day special, hosted by Joel Dommett, saw the return of judges Maya Jama, Jonathan Ross, Davina McCall and Mo Gilligan as they tried to identify the celebrities behind the elaborate costumes. Before the final reveal, several famous faces were uncovered.
Figgy Pudding was the first to be unmasked, revealed as BBC Radio 2 Breakfast host Scott Mills, with only Maya Jama correctly guessing his identity. Later, national treasure Baroness Floella Benjamin was unveiled as the star inside Santa's Sack, while Coronation Street legend Maureen Lipman was hiding within the Goose A-Laying costume.
Dermot O'Leary Triumphs as Mistletoe
All attention then turned to the animated character Mistletoe. Judges Maya, Jonathan, and Davina were convinced the performer was former X Factor and This Morning host Dermot O'Leary, while Mo Gilligan guessed it was rapper Big Narstie.
They were right to suspect O'Leary, as the 52-year-old presenter removed his mask to claim victory. Speaking after his win, Dermot said, 'It felt good. But I think everyone knew it was me by that point.' He revealed the most challenging aspect was the costume's lack of visibility, describing it as 'quite claustrophobic and... quite tight.'
Host's Blunder Sends Filming Into Chaos
The festive recording was not without its behind-the-scenes drama. Host Joel Dommett accidentally let a celebrity's real name slip during filming, sending the studio into chaos. Dommett explained he instantly recognised a distinctive chuckle coming from the Mistletoe costume and blurted out the star's name.
'I can't believe I did it,' Joel told The Sun. 'Thankfully, they had pretty much guessed who it was. But producers did reiterate to me that I wasn't to do that again. I was on the naughty step.' The studio audience reportedly erupted with laughter as Dommett dropped to the floor in shame.
The special aired on Boxing Day, serving as a precursor to the show's highly anticipated new series, which is set to return to ITV early next year with a major format shake-up including competing bands.
