Masked Singer Christmas special branded ‘highlight of the day’ after TV icon wins

ITV viewers watched as the Christmas special of The Masked Singer crowned Mistletoe the festive winner, before being unmasked as a TV legend.

The 90-minute episode saw four new masked characters take to the stage in elaborate costumes, belting out Christmas classics while the panel attempted to decode clues and identify the celebrities hiding behind the masks.

Eventually, the winning Mistletoe was revealed as Dermot O’Leary, much to the delight of fans.

Hosting duties were once again handled by Joel Dommett, with panellists Jonathan Ross, Maya Jama, Davina McCall, and Mo Gilligan on detective duty.

Mistletoe kicked off the night with an emotional rendition of The Pogues’ Fairytale of New York, immediately setting tongues wagging both in the studio and at home.

Guesses ranged from Chris Evans to Dermot himself, with Jonathan, Maya and Davina all correctly landing on the This Morning host early on. Mo Gilligan, however, threw a curveball by opting for Big Narstie.

Viewers watching at home were just as confident, with one fan writing, ‘No questioning that voice of Mistletoe – it has to be Mr Dermot O’Leary!’ while another added, ‘O’Leary vibes for Mistletoe!’

As the episode unfolded, one tweet perfectly captured the wholesome chaos, writing: ‘Highlight of Christmas TV, Dermot singing Fairytale of New York.’

Goose A-Laying was next to perform, tackling I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. The panel were wildly divided, with Davina guessing Miranda Hart, Jonathan opting for Catherine Tate, Maya suggesting Jill Scott and Mo Gilligan going leftfield with Angela Rippon.

When Mistletoe beat Goose A-Laying in the first face-off, Goose became the first to be unmasked just 30 minutes into the show.

The reveal shocked both panel and viewers alike, as the costume came off to reveal legendary actress and Coronation Street star Maureen Lipman.

Laughing, she said, ‘I think I overgoosed myself. I got so into playing a funny goose, I forgot about the singing.’

Fans were equally stunned, with one tweeting, ‘Goose is Maureen Lipman! Didn’t have a clue lol,’ while another admitted, ‘Omg MAUREEN LIPMAN!!! I can’t believe I didn’t get that.’

Third to perform was Figgy Pudding, whose clues included a pie chart, references to being ‘early’ and ‘breakfast,’ and hints at a ‘gourmet globetrotter’ lifestyle.

After delivering When A Child Is Born, Jonathan praised the performance, saying, ‘He’s got a good voice!’ Jonathan guessed Noel Fielding, Mo went with Johnny Vegas, Davina plumped for Matt Tebbutt, but Maya confidently got it right, declaring, ‘I recognise that voice.’

Figgy Pudding was later revealed as radio DJ Scott Mills, earning praise online for both his singing and Maya’s sharp detective work.

Santa’s Sack rounded off the first performances, with clues pointing to a famous family, a ‘delivery dynasty’ and even a can of hairspray. Davina guessed Lord Alan Sugar, while Mo went for Roman Kemp.

In the face-off against Figgy Pudding, Santa’s Sack lost out and was unmasked as Baroness Floella Benjamin OBE. ‘It was absolutely wonderful,’ she said. ‘I love singing. It was a joy for me to come on the show and sing my heart out.’

The episode also featured appearances from pantomime favourites Fairy Godmother Su Pollard, Dame Christopher Biggins, Wicked Stepmother Lesley Joseph and Prince Charming Basil Brush, who added festive mischief by dropping extra clues for the panel.

In the final showdown, Mistletoe triumphed over Figgy Pudding, officially taking the Christmas crown.

When Dermot O’Leary was revealed as the winner, Davina jokingly yelled, ‘I saw you two weeks ago and you knew you were doing this then! I’ll never trust you again!’

Ultimately, it was the viewers who really won it, with one writing on Reddit: ‘This was definitely my favourite Christmas special! Four absolute legends!’

Another tweet read, ‘Our winner of this year Christmas Special! Has been unmasked as Dermot O’Leary – guessed you straight away.’

The Masked Singer Christmas special is available to stream on ITVX.

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