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The Masked Singer, the ITV singing competition, is back to turn a nation of viewers into sofa detectives.
Presented once again by comedian Joel Dommett, the programme shows 12 mystery celebrities singing familiar tunes on stage, while dressed up in a costume obscuring their identities.
Guessing along with the in-studio audience and the viewers at home are the judges: Mo Gilligan, Davina McCall, Rita Ora and Jonathan Ross.
This year’s contestants are hoping to join the previous Masked Singer UK winners, who include Nicola Roberts, Joss Stone, Natalie Imbruglia and Charlie Simpson.
One of the hopefuls is in disguise as Rat – here’s what we know about them so far…
In an ITV press pack released ahead of the series, Rat said: “The nerves I had for The Masked Singer are the worst nerves I’ve had in my entire life.”
In Rat’s second performance on Saturday (13 January), she performed the Toy Dolls song “Nellie the Elephant” with the help of some insect-looking friends in tutus, and of, course Nellie.
Rat dropped plenty of hints in her pre-recorded video package, saying that “rodents like to run around with others”. Judges took this to mean that she may be in a girl group.
Jonathan Ross suggested that Rat’s Liverpuddlian accent could be fake, especially considering it could not be heard during her performance that night.
(Getty Images for Netflix)
There were multiple references to Doctor Who, with Rat saying: “Tell you what doc, I’m a champion companion”, adding that they’ve “regenerated more than once”.
Stranger Things was also included in the video, with the Netflix show’s theme-song playing in the background.
Other clues seen in the clip included a shirt reading Alan, a tattoo machine, and a tool belt.
Although Jonathan Ross initially went for Stranger Things Millie Bobby Brown, he ultimately landed on Carol Smilie because she was the presenter on the home makeover show Changing Rooms.
Last year, Charlie Simpson was crowned as the winner of The Masked Singer UK.
Rat said they experienced the ‘worst nerves’ of their life on ‘The Masked Singer’
(ITV)
The Busted star, who performed secretly as Rhino throughout the competition, rose to fame with the boyband behind the hits “Year 3000” and “Crashed The Wedding”.
In the finale, he beat Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson, who was disguised as Phoenix.
Girls Aloud star Nicola Roberts won the first ever series of The Masked Singer disguised as Queen Bee.
The Masked Singer airs on ITV on Saturday nights, with the final expected to take place in February.
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