IT’S the celebrity guessing game that combines weird costumes with a whole load of warbling.
And the new series of TV’s The Masked Singer will be more riddle- some than ever, as it features its first duo.
In the twist for the fourth series of the star-spangled contest, Cat and Mouse will sing together.
Joel Dommett is back as host, with judges Jonathan Ross, Davina McCall, Mo Gilligan and Rita Ora.
Joel said: “Cat and Mouse are great. Weirdly, you would have thought that because there’s two of them, it would be easier to guess, but it’s harder.”
All 13 mystery celebs will be aiming to join previous winners Nicola Roberts (Queen Bee), Joss Stone (Sausage) and Natalie Imbruglia (Panda) as they pull on their oddball outfits.
This time a knitted jumper will compete with a pigeon, a binful of rubbish and a scuba-diving otter, as well as a jellyfish, a phoenix, a rhinestone-clad rhino, a deer and a foil-covered jacket potato.
The line-up is completed by a cartoon ghost, a slice of cake and again, nightmare rabbit Robobunny.
Today we hear from Joel and the judges, and we bring you a chance to play The Masked Singer guessing game, introducing the contestants, with pointers to help you try to work out who they are.
Go on, it’s a piece of cake — or a jacket potato, maybe.
- The Masked Singer returns on January 1 at 6.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
Cat and Mouse
A CAT and a mouse may not tend to live in harmony but The Masked Singer’s first duo are hoping to make sweet music together – and we’ve a funny feline that showbiz pals Amanda Holden and Alan Carr could be the ones.
Jacket Potato
THIS hot snack will be trying to butter up the audience.
Though it’s just a humble spud, could the costume be hiding a telly chef such as Tom Kerridge? But if his voice is off, he’d better jacket in.
Jellyfish
COULD this stinging singing celeb be familiar with the water, such as Aussie swimmer-turned-singer Cody Simpson?
Phoenix
AS hot favourites go, Phoenix is on fire – if only because the legendary bird was consumed by flames, then reborn.
This version could be a star whose career revived from the ashes.
Piece of cake
IT’S the great British cake take-off – and it really would be the icing on the top if Jonathan’s favourite, Mary Berry, turned out to be the judges’ number one gateau guess.
Ghost
GHOULS just want to have fun, as the song nearly says, but this Ghost will hope to make life fun for the audience too.
A celeb with a scary backstory might be aiming to cast off their shrouds.
Knitting
THE celeb inside this cosy costume will want to leave the other contenders in knots.
Is it a fashion icon known for their natty dressing, such as knitting fan and Olympic gold-winning diver Tom Daley, or TV’s stylish Nick Grimshaw?
Pigeon
YOU could try having a flutter on this feathery friend being a star of Birds Of A Feather, such as Pauline Quirke.
And if she did turn out to be Pigeon, what a coup that would be.
Fawn
COULD a presenter from a telly nature programme be the Bambi within, such as Helen Skelton?
After all, wildlife is deer to her heart.
Bin
NOT punk rock, but maybe junk rock . . . and could an eco warrior such as naturalist Chris Packham be lurking within, keen to recycle some chart hits?
And hoping his big chance has not bin and gone?
Otter
OK, we’ve not got a scuba-doo as to who is ready to blow us all out of the water as Otter, but we’re dam excited to find out.
Rhino
HERE’S the rhinestone Rhino looking like a country and western star. Is it an all-American hero with a toughman persona, such as Chris Evans or The Rock?
‘We’re making it more ridiculous’
JOEL SAYS: “This year we’ve got theme weeks, which were some of my favourite shows.
“It’s a good place to start from, makes it more ridiculous.
“It’s the same as usual, but a step further. That’s what we seem to do each time – make it more ridiculous, more fun.
“And of course, you’ve got different reveals, so every series will feel different.”
‘Some draw you in completely’
DAVINA SAYS: “With Cat and Mouse, you’d think if they’re a duo, then it’s easier to guess.
“But I’ve been looking at them, thinking, ‘You’re not a couple’, but then they might be acting like they are a couple.
“Jellyfish is an extraordinary performer and has made us all feel pretty emotional, Rhino too.
“There are people who completely draw you in.”
‘Always a shock to guess wrong’
JONATHAN SAYS: “It’s always a shock when you are sure you’ve got someone right, and they’re unmasked and it’s not them.
“The voice sounds right and all the clues seem to point in the right direction and it’s only when the mask comes off you realise that all those clues and that voice worked better for the person it really is.
“And we all do a bit of that.”
‘The attention to detail is insane’
MO SAYS: “This series my favourite costume is Jacket Potato.
“It’s so weird. The attention to detail is insane – he’s got a shirt which is beans and there is butter on his head.
“Then there’s Otter – otters use a stone to smash clams, so the costume has pockets for stones.”
‘There are so many strategies’
RITA SAYS: “I think actors and performers are masking their voices more this series.
“They’re doing all these things that I think are going to keep them in the competition. There are so many strategies.
“I think now they’ve seen the show they’re like, ‘What can I do that hasn’t been done before, and how far can I take it?’ ”
