Denise Van Outen will get over her painful break-up by having a ball travelling around the country as a judge on the first live version of The Masked Singer.
Last month, the 47-year-old split from fiance Eddie Boxshall after seven years together – and what better way to move on from it by being involved in the best guessing game in the UK.
Denise, who was Fox in the first series of The Masked Singer, and JLS singer Aston Merrygold, who came third as Robin in the second series, are today unveiled as the first two judges on the panel for The Masked Singer Live Arena tour in April, which stops off at Glasgow OVO Hydro on April 9.
Denise said: “I am so excited to be a judge on The Masked Singer Live tour. I’m sure we’re going to be thrilled by an incredible line-up of mystery celebrities bringing electrifying live performances to audiences up and down the country.”
The format of the live show will be very similar to the TV show, with mystery celebrities performing in masked costumes - some celebrities who have competed on the TV show and some who haven't.
There will be two celebrities unmasked at every show.
The TV judges – Jonathan Ross, Davina McCall, Mo Gilligan and Rita Ora – won’t be involved in the live version.
Denise and Aston will be joined on the panel with special guest third judge who will change at every show.
There will be a pool of celebrities competing throughout the tour, but the same two celebrities from one city won’t be singing in the same costume in the next city so every gig will be fresh and the audience will still be able to shout: “Who’s behind the mask?”
From the performers’ point of view, Denise reckons the bigger the costume the easier it is to sing “because you’ve got all the space inside”.
She added: “It’s not as bad as you think because you’ve got the room, there’s just a little person in there in a massive costume, though the costume is heavy.”
Speaking about her own mirrored fox costume, she said: “I loved it because you could move in it, but equally the headpiece was hard to sing in because it felt like my voice was bouncing back on me.
“Imagine putting a motorcycle helmet on then trying to sing in it. It’s a bit of a funny old thing but it is a game show and it’s a lot of fun.”
The former Big Breakfast presenter would have loved to have kept the costume.
Denise, who can’t get enough of Scotland and was in Glasgow last month filming a project at BBC Scotland with Paddy McGuinness and First Dates’ Fred Sirieix, said:”I had to give the costume back, if only I could have kept it, it would have been the best PPE costume ever.”
The third series of The Masked Singer is currently on our TV screens.
It has become one of the most popular shows on the box as we try to guess who the celebrities are. A spin-off, The Masked Dancer, is also a huge success.
Like the TV shows, Joel Dommett will be hosting as The Masked Singer Live visits 10 super-sized shows around the country.
The series is made by International Emmy award-winning Glasgow-based Bandicoot Scotland, who can’t wait for the live show to play a home town gig.
Boss Derek McLean reckoned it’s just what everyone needs after two years of the Covid pandemic.
He said: “We are so pleased to be doing this.
“The Masked Singer has been such an amazing success and the only thing we’ve been disappointed with is that because of Covid we’ve not had as many people as we’d have liked in the studio.
“We’ve just never had the opportunity to have a massive big audience – until now.
“With the tour we are bringing Masked Singer to you. Hopefully fans won’t have to travel to far and feel safe to enjoy the show that has had the UK guessing.”
Thanks to the Record, the current series had its first Scottish character – Bagpipes – who was unmasked as tennis ace Pat Cash.
Derek teased: “Given Glasgow is a home show for us Bagpipes might make a special appearance.”
He added:”We will be getting some extra-special local celebs involved, new celebs who haven’t been on the TV shows and some surprises on the tour.
“It’s what’s so brilliant about the format. It’s so flexible and we have so many people who want to be involved that we will be able to mix and match around the country and have people pop up – maybe old favourites and new celebrities.”
The Masked Singer Live is a chance to see your favourite characters from the TV show brought to life. Which characters they will be will be announced later but the different mystery celebrities will be unmasked at the end of every performance – having been selected by the panel of celebrity judges.
There will also be brand new character costumes with new song and dance routines and stunning sets.
Aston, 33, found fame on The X Factor and loves The Masked Singer because it’s “not about judgment”.
He said: “The idea of taking The Masked Singer to arenas around the country is absolutely brilliant.
“The show is not about judgment, it’s about having fun and keeping the audiences guessing.
“I am so happy to be joining the panel.
“Being on other side of the desk will be exhilarating in a completely different way, but still with all the excitement and drama of the TV series. I can’t wait to see everyone around the UK at the shows! Bring it on!”
The UK Tour is masterminded by Elizabeth Honan, one of the UK’s most respected choreographers and creative director of The Masked Singer on ITV.
Host Joel, 36, claimed he won’t know the different celebrities at every show as the tour goes round the country in incredible secrecy.
He said: “I’m so thrilled to be hosting proceedings, as we bring all the excitement and drama of the TV series live to Scotland.
“And being in arenas means it’s going to be bigger than ever. I’m excited to see who the different celebrities are at every show.
“I don’t know their identities, so I’ll be guessing along with the arena audiences. I can’t wait to get this show on the road in April, it’s going to be epic.”
* The Masked Singer Live comes to the Glasgow OVO Hydro on April 9. Tickets: TheMaskedSingerLiveUK.com.
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