‘The country really needs this!'

Joel Dommett talks to TV Times about hosting the ‘wildly different’ and ‘arrestingly bold’ show that has millions of us gripped

- STEVEN PERKINS

THE MASKED SINGER

SATURDAY / ITV / 7PM / EP 7 of 8 / ENTERTAINMENT

He’s the man with the sharp quips and even sharper suits, and, as the host of ITV’s mega-hit The Masked Singer, Joel Dommett is also the current king of Saturday-night telly.

When TV Times catches up with the comedian for an exclusive video interview ahead of this week’s semi-final, he happily tells us that everyone just wants to talk to him about which celebrities might be hiding inside those spectacular costumes.

However, because of strict backstage protocols that ensure Joel and the show’s four panelists – Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross, Mo Gilligan, and Rita Ora – don’t mix with the singers when the cameras aren’t rolling, he’s as much in the dark as the rest of us!

Here, Joel, 35, chats to us about the show’s appeal…

How have you found the response to series two so far?

It has been amazing! Now more than ever, it’s something the country really needs! It’s not too difficult to wrap your head around, it isn’t cynical in any way, there’s no drama – it’s just silly fun! When we recorded it, I thought, ‘I feel like everyone’s going to really need this,’ and then, obviously, the pandemic got worse! So it has come at a perfect time, and I’m glad everybody’s liking it.