Jason Manford finished second on The Masked Singer last year and has now said many people working on the first series of the hit ITV show “didn’t know what they were doing”.
The 40-year-old comedian told Daily Express that the team have improved since his time on the show as Hedgehog.
He wore a hugecostume to disguise his appearance during the wacky ITV series, and said it was very warm inside.
When asked if there was a fan or cooling device inside to help, he replied: “no”.
Jason explained: “I’ve got to say they have improved it since I was on it by all accounts, as I’ve heard from people that have been on it since.
(Image: ITV)
“But that first series when they didn’t really know what they were doing you were in that costume for ages.
“Now I think there’s a limit, you’re only allowed in it for five minutes or something and then it comes off.”
Jason added: “But when we did the first series you stood there for 20 minutes.
“Somebody would be holding a fan into the hedgehog’s mouth, so I could get cooler.”
(Image: ITV)
Jason lost out to Girls Aloud singer Nicola Roberts. She wowed fans as Queen Bee on the first series of the show.
Classical singer Katherine Jenkins finished in third place as Octopus.
Jason managed to keep the show a secret from everyone he knew apart from his wife.
Even his children were kept in the dark, and they were cross with him when his identity was eventually revealed.
(Image: ITV)
He said: “I actually didn’t tell any of my family I was doing it, I told my wife obviously but I didn’t tell my kids.
“They watched the final as it went out and my daughter was at a sleepover I think at the time.
“All her friends were saying, ‘That’s your daddy’ and she was like, ‘I think I would know if that was my dad’.
“So, obviously when the head came off she was absolutely fuming.”
(Image: Getty Images)
Next year will be a busy one for Jason as he will be hosting the National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals.
He explained: “They’ve done it as a thank you essentially to the theatres, as they have been hit the hardest out of most industries [by the pandemic].
“We were the first ones to be cancelled and the last ones to come back, and we’ve been on this constant ‘will they, won’t they’ ever since really.
(Image: Getty Images)
“There are actually hundreds of thousands in front of house and ensemble and crew who are not getting paid incredible amounts.
“So it’s a bit of a thank you to them really.”
Fans are eagerly awaiting the return of The Masked Singer, and will have to see whether there are any improvements as Jason says.
The Masked Singer UK returns to ITV on January 1
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
