Jonathan Ross believes The Masked Singer will leave Simon Cowell 'kicking himself'

The show arrives in the UK on January 4
Tobi Akingbade3 January 2020

The Masked Singer is set to arrive on our screens soon and judge Jonathan Ross believes it will be so good it would leave Simon Cowell “kicking himself”.

The new programme - which has found major success in the States – is set to keep viewers hooked thanks to its wacky nature.

Taking its cues from the King Of Mask Singer, the South Korean singing competition that first aired in 2015, the British version launches on ITV on January 4 and will see 12 celebrities hide behind elaborate masks to hide their identities.

Their aim is to be the last masked singer standing as the judges attempt to work out who they are.

ITV

Ross is joined by Ken Jeong - who has featured in both of the US versions - Rita Ora and Davina McCall on the judging panel.

Speaking ahead of the launch, TV host Ross explained that he felt X Factor’s Cowell would be want to be a part of the mix.

Ross told Standard Online and other journalists: “I think anyone who works in TV would be kicking themselves if they see a format as strong as this. When I saw The Voice, I thought 'Wow that is a great idea for a show and it is regardless of who came up with it.'

“I think it is one of those formats which is super strong anyway and I suspect Simon [Cowell] would be thinking ‘wow, what a great show’.”

McCall agreed, adding: “That is true.”

(ITV )
ITV

The Masked Singer has 12 characters and viewers will only know them by their character name until they are unmasked.

Say hello to Butterfly, Hedgehog, Pharoah, Tree, Unicorn, Fox, Monster, Chameleon, Daisy, Octopus, Duck and Queen Bee.

During the premiere, viewers will only meet 6 of the characters as one will be eliminated in the final round of that episode.

The remaining six will storm the stage on 5 January.

This comes as host Joel Dommett revealed he didn’t realise his “really good friend” took part in the series and he had no idea.

He told Standard Online: “There is one in particular who I am really good friends with and it took me - I got it in the end - but it was half the episode, and I had no idea. I’m stood there and I am literally holding their hands and I have no idea who it is”

The Masked Singer launches on 4 January 2020 on ITV.

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