The Masked Singer: Davina McCall makes surprise appearance on Christmas special weeks after brain surgery

The TV star was missing from the judging panel for The Masked Singer Christmas special, which aired on Boxing Day. Mo Gilligan and Jonathan Ross returned to make their best guesses at the star behind the mask, joined by special guest judges Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French.

Filmed weeks after her recent brain tumour surgery, Davina was not expected to take part, but surprised everyone when she was unmasked as one of the festive-themed performer on the show. Even host Joel Dommett was shocked by the reveal, shouting: “I thought you were ill!”

Davina revealed in November that she was undergoing surgery to remove a rare, benign colloid cyst on her brain, frequently updating her Instagram follower on her progress. Her health situation has kept her away from television appearances for the most part, but it seems she couldn’t resist the chance to pull on a famous Masked Singer mask telling her fellow judges it was “too good an opportunity to miss”.

Under the guise of Star, she performed Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas and This Christmas. She declared the moment “one of the greatest experiences of my life so far”.

Davina, who also revealed that she did not wear her usual perfume or deodorant while hidden on set to avoid the judges recognising her and used a fake Amercan accent while speaking underneath the mask, 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.”

Reflecting on her tough health battle this year, she added: “I was trying to convey what the songs meant to me and this Christmas is going to be a very important and special Christmas for me and it will have extra special meaning. I was really thinking about that when I was singing.”

Joel called the moment “the most shocking reveal so far”, adding: “She lied to me right to my face. She texted me and said that she had severe diarrhoea but she did not, in fact she was in a costume. Livid! I’ll never trust her again.”

Davina lost out to the mysterious Nutcracker, who was revealed to be Frankie Goes To Hollywood singer Holly Johnson. Johnson wowed the judges and was crowned the 2024 Masked Singer Christmas Champion after impressing with his rendition of Chris Rea’s Driving Home For Christmas.

Earlier in the same episode, This Morning host and former Big Brother winner Josie Gibson was unmasked as Christmas Cracker, while Strictly Come Dancing judge Motsi Mabuse also revealed underneath the Turkey Crown costume.

The Masked Singer returns for a new series at 7pm on January 4 on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player. One question which will be answered in the first episode of the new series is who was under the caricature-style costume of Joel Dommett, branded ‘Giant Joel’, whose appearance during the Christmas special even took the host by surprise.