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Mistletoe was kissing success after tonight’s Masked Singer show on ITV(Image: ITV)
Mistletoe knows he still had the X Factor after the show judges worked out who was behind his costume very quickly on The Masked Singer: Christmas Special tonight.
This Morning host Dermot O’Leary, 52, won the competition after performing two songs and secretly taking vocal lessons, but Jonathan Ross clocked who was behind the mask early on. And later host Joel Dommett even accidentally blurted out his name after hearing him laugh, in a show first.
Looking back Dermot recalled: “I laughed at something that Jonathan said and Joel went immediately ‘that’s Dermot’. The whole thing felt quite giddy because it’s a Christmas special, but I think by then, the cat was pretty much out of the bag, to be fair. Everyone else had pretty much guessed me, so I don’t think Joel made that much of a boo boo.”
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Host Joel blundered on the show and kissed goodbye to a show secret when it came to Mistletoe(Image: ITV)
Asked about winning and being officially unmasked as champion, Dermot said: “It felt good. But I think everyone knew it was me by that point. I was performing ‘Fairytale of New York’ which is a great song and I think the song probably won it for me if I’m honest. I sang that and ‘Last Christmas’ in the final.
“It’s weird because you never know who you’re up against. The production is so secret about everything! You don’t see them afterwards, you don’t mingle with the other cast. That’s it. I was like, I’m not a spy, I can meet everyone! But it’s so secretive. They do it well. It was a bit of a relief to be unmasked in the end! My costume was incredible but quite heavy.
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“Everyone knew it was me. I think they said it was mainly because of my legs! Not my voice, my legs! I was like, why has Jonathan Ross been looking at my legs?
“Jonathan got me straight away. I guess I moved a lot and I have been known to dance a bit on previous shows so maybe that gave me away as I’ve just got the one dance!”
Dermot’s legs were pretty visible on Saturday nights for years when he hosted The X Factor and became known for some tight trousers as well as his dance routines to open the live shows back in the day.
Now he is better known for fronting other TV shows including Five’s NFL coverage and on Saturday Nights after his Radio 2 show could well be at home with wife Dee and their son Kasper.
The host was looking forward to his son seeing him on the show and said: “He is only five so he knows TV. He has seen The Masked Singer a few times and knows that people sing and wear masks and stuff. I started to filter it into his world back in November so he can get a bit surprised when he sees me.
“He watches me on the telly, although he gets a bit shy when he sees me on screen which is so cute, but it’s natural for him to see me on telly because he doesn’t know any different. I think he thinks everyone is on telly basically.”
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Dermot says he found it hard to keep his appearance a secret on the show but took it very seriously, including getting proper training. “I didn’t really tell anyone,” he said before altering his answer slightly.
“Well I must confess, I did tell Alison Hammond because she had done it before and I got her advice: ‘Go for it, you’re going to love it. And practice’.
“But it was difficult, especially the closer it got to Christmas and the show was going to air. Everyone that I have spoken to that has done it, has had a great time doing it. And I think that was part of why I said yes.
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“Also I love the secrecy and the subterfuge to a point. I did costume fittings back in the summer and I started doing vocal coaching then too.
“Actually that was the other part to saying yes to it. This was just a bit of fun, but you’re also learning a little bit of skill. You’re sitting down with a vocal coach and going through stuff and improving. It was great doing my homework. I’d be walking around my kitchen singing Last Christmas in June and July!”
The vocal coaching paid off and Dermot ended up winning the show, but it was not plain sailing by any means. Giving an insight into the difficulties he and other stars faced dressed up as things like Figgy Pudding and Santa’s Sack, he added: “I had no vision at all. It’s quite claustrophobic and it’s quite tight in the costume. Which is fine as long as you deal with that.
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“You’re also terrified of falling over. There was one time I had to walk from the back of the stage to the front, around a table, and there was quite a big drop off the stage quite near it. It’s a weighty costume as well. It’s not easy. And I like to dance as well!
“It was actually quite nice because I’m used to talking for a living and in this show, people aren’t allowed to talk to you. So you are on your own with your thoughts which is quite weird.”
Asked where this ranks on his TV and career achievements, Dermot is clearly proud of winning the show. “It’s up there man!” He admitted. “I’m not an overly competitive person in terms of things like this but at the same time you want to do well. I’m a great silver medalist in life. I don’t want to finish last but I’m not that bothered about winning everything right? But the fact you’re able to and you do, it’s really lovely.”
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