If you thought the clues on The Masked Singer had become harder over the last two series, there’s a reason for that.
Show bosses have revealed how they were forced to up their game on their cryptic pointers after too many people guessed Denise Van Outen’s identity in series one.
The former Big Breakfast presenter performed as Fox back in 2020, but her identity was soon rumbled after a specific clue about Denise’s love of collecting teapots that returned plenty of Google results.
Speaking to Daily Star, Derek McLean, who works for production company Bandicoot, said coming up with the clues has been a “massive learning curve” since the show’s debut in the UK.
“We thought it was a great clue and no one would pick up on it. Turns out if you Google ‘Denise Van Outen and teapots’ it’s there in loads of articles,” he said.
“It was a massive learning curve. Everything is findable. If you think you can Google the answer now, it’s not going to be there.
“People might say our clues are tough but we love all the mad guessing.”
He added: “Everyone might want them to be like the quick crossword in The Times but what we are is the cryptic crossword in The Telegraph.”
Meanwhile, producer Dan Nettleton admitted that there are more identities of celebrities “out there” on social media than last year – but there’s also one that no-one seems to have yet cracked.
“People are miles away from guessing it,” he teased.
Singers Will Young, Heather Small and Tom Chaplin, former tennis player Pat Cash and broadcaster Gloria Hunniford have already been unmasked on the show.
Traffic Cone, Rockhopper, Robobunny, Panda, Mushroom, Firework and Doughnuts all remain in the competition, with the likes of Natalie Imbruglia, Charlotte Church, Michelle Williams and Markus Feehily all rumoured to be behind those masks.
The Masked Singer continues on Saturday at 7pm on ITV.