Keeping a straight face has never been harder.
Ben Shephard has lifted the lid on the “bizarre” and quietly nerve-racking experience of secretly competing on The Masked Singer — all while continuing his day job interviewing celebrities on This Morning.
The 50-year-old presenter was finally unmasked as Conkers, delivering one of the most jaw-dropping reveals of the series — but behind the scenes, Ben admits he had been living a surreal double life for weeks.
‘It Felt Under-Hand’
Ben confessed it felt especially awkward chatting to unmasked contestants on This Morning while knowing he was still secretly battling it out on the ITV show himself.
He revealed that one moment stood out above all others — interviewing panellist Davina McCall, who had absolutely no idea he was one of the masked singers.
“It felt really under-hand,” Ben admitted.
“Davina was talking to me in minute detail about what it’s like to be a contestant. I was asking her loads of questions — knowing exactly what it was like inside the costume.”
Trying to maintain his trademark honesty while sitting on such a huge secret, Ben said, was a challenge he never expected.
An Isolating Secret
The presenter explained that secrecy is one of the toughest parts of taking part in The Masked Singer.
“The bizarre thing is, I’ve been interviewing all the unmasked celebrities on This Morning and they had no idea I was still in the competition,” he said.
“You can’t tell anyone. It’s actually really isolating.”
He added that he had been counting down the days until he could finally speak freely.
“I just couldn’t wait to be able to talk to everyone about it.”
After contestants were revealed, Ben went on to interview former masked stars including Ben Fogle, Marvin Humes and John Lydon — without anyone suspecting he had been part of the show himself.
Judges Left Reeling
Ben’s reveal proved to be one of the most dramatic moments of the entire series. Host Joel Dommett was so stunned he collapsed to the floor laughing, while the judging panel sat open-mouthed in disbelief.
In an extra twist, Ben had even appeared earlier in the series as a guest judge during the Halloween special — all while secretly performing as Conkers.
‘I’ve Given My Sons Ammunition For Life’
Away from the stage, Ben said the moment he was most excited about was finally telling his family — especially his sons.
“They’ll be thrilled to bits,” he laughed.
“How much ammunition have I given them for the rest of their lives?”
Ben shares sons Sam, 20, and Jack, 19, with wife Annie Shephard, whom he married in 2004.
He also revealed that co-host Cat Deeley’s children are huge fans of the show — adding another layer of secrecy to the whole experience. Cat shares sons Milo, nine, and James, seven, with estranged husband Patrick Kielty, with the pair now co-parenting.
Final Night Drama
Fans were finally put out of their misery during the live final, which saw Toastie unmasked as Mica Paris, while Moth was revealed as Keisha Buchanan, who went on to win the series.
Conkers may have finished in second place — but Ben’s reveal arguably caused the biggest uproar of all.
A secret well kept.
A poker face perfectly played.
And a Masked Singer moment fans won’t forget in a hurry.
Source: Adapted from The Sun
https://www.thesun.co.uk/
