Davina McCall has said secretly transferring from the judging panel to perform on The Masked Singer was “the maddest ruse” but “one of the greatest experiences of my life”. The TV star, who has been a panellist on the ITV talent show for the last five series, said appearing on the Christmas special – which aired on Boxing Day – was “too good an opportunity to miss” and one of her bucket list moments.
McCall, dressed in a Star costume, sang Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas and This Christmas to unwitting fellow panellists Jonathan Ross, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French and Mo Gilligan. “It was one of the greatest experiences of my life so far,” McCall said.
“It was just the maddest ruse I have ever done. I didn’t expect to enjoy the whole process of singing as much as I did. “I’ve booked a singing lesson for after the recording of the show and I’m going to carry on singing. Just for myself, not to sing anywhere or do anything but just because I loved it.”.
The TV presenter said she could not wear her usual deodorant or perfume for fear of the judges recognising her scent, and channelled the US accent based on her sister-in-law from Virginia – “so a little bit of Dolly Parton”. McCall said as she was singing, she was thinking about the importance of Christmas after she had brain surgery to remove a rare benign tumour in November.
