The Masked Singer: Five of the show’s biggest ‘accidental reveals’

The Masked Singer has given us more than its fair share of colourful characters all across the world (Picture: Rex Shutterstock)

The Masked Singer has become a hit with viewers since it debuted on our screens in 2020, with viewers all across the UK sharing theories and clues as they try to work out who the show’s mystery singing celebrities are.

The show originated in South Korea before it hit US screens, becoming an instant success over there – and as well as reaching the UK, it’s also been sold across the globe – France, Germany, Italy, Spain, New Zealand, Russia, Australia and Japan are just a few of the countries that now have their own version.

Now in its third series here, show bosses go to great lengths to ensure the identity of the famous contestants remains a secret until it’s time for them to remove their mask.

Except there are those occasions when things haven’t quite gone according to plan – resulting in celebs almost giving the game away, or in some cases just giving up completely.

Let’s take a look at some of those occasions when a Masked Singer’s identity was accidentally revealed…

Lenny Henry as Blob (The Masked Singer UK series 2)

There’s no denying that Sir Lenny Henry had the judges fooled when he appeared on the second series of the UK show as Blob – but the comedy legend almost succeeded in giving the game away himself.

Speaking to Lorraine Kelly on her TV show in 2021 after he was unmasked, he explained: ‘Nobody in my family knew, my partner knew, and I think the builders might have suspected something because you get a visor that you wear and a sweater that says ‘do not speak to me’, and stupidly I put it on before I left the house.

‘And the builders on my house must have thought, ‘That’s a bit harsh isn’t it? He’s not usually like that of a morning!’

Lenny also had a close shave when it came to getting the Blob suit on.

‘I was backstage and I was getting my costume on, because Blob is so big you can’t get into it in your dressing room, and I took my visor off, and I looked up and there were electricians working, and they said, ‘That’s Ainsley Harriott!’ he revealed.

‘But everyone has to sign a contract and they’re not allowed to say, but they knew who I was.’

Julia Morris as Kitten (The Masked Singer Australia, season 2)

Comedian Julia Morris was accidentally unmasked after a costume designed on the Australian series of the show misadvertently gave away her identity in a radio interview.

When asked by host Deborah Knight if the designers knew who they were making the elaborate disguises for – citing the cute pink Kitten on that series – costume designer Tim Chappell said: ‘Ah, yeah, yeah it was Julia Morris. And didn’t she make the most amazing pink kitten? She was just so fabulous in that costume.’

Oops. Luckily the offending part of the interview was removed from the Internet, and Julia’s identity remained under wraps. At least to the many viewers who hadn’t heard the clip.

Mickey Rourke as The Gremlin (The Masked Singer US, series 4)

It was more deliberate than accidental but we can’t overlook the time Oscar-nominated actor Mickey Rourke caused pandemonium when he appeared on the US series as the furry Gremlin in 2020.

Having made it to the second week of the show, where he performed the classic Stand By Me, he told show host Nick Cannon he’d ‘had enough’ – and, in a show first, promptly removed his mask to reveal his identity.

Mickey explained he had only taken part as he was nearby.

‘I was in the neighbourhood,’ he said. ‘I do like the show. I’ve watched like, four episodes.

‘When they asked, ”Would you be interested?” So I watched from the very beginning and all that s**t, you know.’

Axle Whitehead as Mullet (The Masked Singer Australia series 3)

Singer and Home and Away star Axle Whitehead very nearly came a cropper on the Australian version of the show in 2021, when his character Mullet was challenged by show host Osher Gunsberg to do some push-ups on stage – only for the head of his costume to fall off.

Axle quickly saved the day by sticking his head inside his costumer as Osher did his best to cover up the unfolding disaster – only to be assured by judge Dannii Minogue that she hadn’t seen a thing. Awkward.

Nick Carter as Crocodile (The Masked Singer US series 4)

Former Backstreet Boy Nick Carter’s pink crocodile character reached the final of the fourth series in the US in 2020.

However, some people claimed that his identity was all but rumbled by a clue stating that the character had given his dad his first ever $100 paycheque – a story featured in Nick’s autobiography Facing The Music.

They maintained that the clue was so specific it pretty much identified Crocodile then and there – which was ultimately confirmed when the mask finally came off.

However Nick wasn’t the only one whose clues might have come a little close to the mark during their time on the show.

Fans watching season 5 of the show in the US instantly identified one contestant, Orca, as Sugar Ray singer Mark McGrath after a clue suggesting the character had sent auditions tapes out in pizza boxes.

That was considered a dead giveaway, since McGrath’s best friend, film director McG, admitted in a 2014 interview with Chelsea Handler that they had done just that to help the band secure a record deal.

Meanwhile Badger, runner-up of The Masked Singer UK’s second series, was outed as musician and rapper Ne-yo by many viewers after a clue referenced Barbra Streisand – with many taking to social media to point out they had performed a duet together.

The Masked Singer continues on ITV on Saturday night at 7pm.

MORE : The Masked Singer UK: EastEnders star denies she is Mushroom as Will Young is unmasked as Lionfish

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