THE FACE BEHIND THE MASK 'PEOPLE CAN SEE THAT I'M FUN NOW'

AFTER BEING UNVEILED AS DOUGHNUTS ON THE MASKED SINGER, FOOTBALL LEGEND MICHAEL OWEN HITS BACK AT MISCONCEPTIONS THAT HE'S A “VERY SERIOUS” PERSON

- OLIVIA WHEELER

The world of football may be full of colourful – and at times controversial – characters, but it’s fair to say that former Liverpool and England striker Michael Owen has never really been seen as one of the game’s great jokers.

Instead, the super talented, world-class player, who was first signed to Liverpool when he was just 17 years old, grew into a man clearly devoted to the game and his family.

But when we meet him, 42-year-old Michael, who was recently unmasked on The Masked Singer as Doughnuts, is keen to show us a different side to his personality. He tells us he wants to hit back at misconceptions that he’s “very serious”.

Talking about his stint on the ITV singing show, the retired footballer said, “I think this is one of the first times people actually see me and think, “Oh, fair play, he can have a laugh at himself.”

The star tells us his fellow players always found it amusing that the public didn’t know the real him, saying, “Everybody I work with are all the same – they all think, ‘You’re so misrepresented in the public.’”

Chester-born Michael – who has Gemma, 18, James, 15, Emily, 14 and 11-year-old Jessica with wife Louise – admits it was his children who talked him into doing the show. He explains, “The kids wanted me to do it, then speaking to the people who make the show, I just thought, ‘You know what, let’s just do it!’”

Here, Michael tells us why he’s ready to take more risks in the future and why David Beckham had a lot to do with his serious image…

Your kids talked you into doing The Masked Singer. Have they got a list of things they want you to do?