Davina McCall has admitted to storming off the stage during the heated filming of The Masked Singer‘s forthcoming series.
The ITV series’ idea is upon celebrities dressing up in extravagant costumes that mask their identities and performing musical routines. The judges can guess who they are, but the answers are only disclosed after they are eliminated. The pre-recorded VTs that are aired before they begin singing provide indications to both the judges and the viewers.
The 56-year-old judge was upset with herself, not with the production or the actors, for failing to properly guess the name of a close friend.
All blame can’t be put on Davina though as she wasn’t the only one who had a connection with the yet-to-be-identified celebrity – her fellow judges Mo Gilligan, Jonathan Ross and Rita Ora have also met them, and were ‘kicking themselves.’
‘I just couldn’t help myself storming off when I saw who the person was,’ she shared.
‘There have been many people on the show who I have met in passing, but this was a real friend, someone I have known for years.
‘It’s embarrassing. It was, I think, the greatest surprise I’ve ever had,’ she added to The Sun.
Those who watched the beloved show’s Christmas special, which has been airing in the UK since 2020, were also in for a surprise.
Partridge (on a pear tree) triumphed over his competitors, with the judges guessing everyone from Jamie Oliver to Alan Titchmarsh.
To everyone’s surprise, the bird removed his disguise and showed himself to be none other than Ainsley Harriott.
‘I’ve never been so far off,’ said Mo after exclaiming he guesses Ainsley every week.
Fans were equally shocked at the familiar chef being unveiled as X user Sah tweeted: ‘It was actually Ainsley Harriot, what haha the dude is such a character and apparently a decent singer!’
‘Who knew Ainslet Harriot could sing though,’ said Mariann while Daniel Matthews added: ‘It’s Ainsley Harriott. The legend.’
That isn’t Ainsley’s only Christmas success story; the 66-year-old is also in the running for the ‘Bookee Prize,’ a phenomena devised by a TV fan that rewards the celebrity who appears the most times on television over the holiday season.
The Masked Singer begins on Saturday at 7pm on ITV1.