Masked Singer host Joel Dommett and his wife Hannah Cooper have learned that when children enter the picture, a relationship can change dramatically. The stand-up comic, 41, puts it plainly: “You can’t have two kids and snog each other’s face off for 24 hours a day.”
A marriage that 'pushes and pulls'
Joel and his wife of seven years, Hannah, 37, now have two sons together – Wilde, two, and baby Dutch, born in May. Speaking about their marriage, he admits, “It’s always changing. Marriage is about making sure you can push and pull each other into an entirely different space.”
He adds, “I love my family so much. Hannah is the best mum and I’m just trying to be the best dad. I feel very lucky.”
Dutch was named in tribute to Hannah’s roots in Holland. When he was born, the fashion model and podcaster described him as “Super late like his father, super long like his mother.”
Wilde's bond with his baby brother
Joel explains the new arrival was an instant hit with his older sibling: “Wilde is so in love with him.” He lifts his hands to show how closely his eldest son holds his brother. “He squishes Dutch’s head and is always like, ‘I love you, my goody boy!’”
For Joel, having a second child has changed everything and nothing at the same time. He says it’s “mad” because everything you need to know is “ingrained in you”, but suddenly the timings don’t work. “It’s an amazing thing, you don’t have to learn the logistics but you have to learn how to split your time better. It’s hard, but joyous.”
Joel’s family has always been his priority, but the star also has a very busy career, telling us that he often struggles to find a work-life balance. When he’s not busy with his family, he’s racking up screentime as the host of shows such as The Masked Singer or as a contestant on Taskmaster. He and Hannah even worked together on their podcast Never Have I Ever, where the couple discussed their relationship and took on wild suggestions for activities sent in by listeners.
Leaving Unpacked after 10 years
In July, Joel announced he would be stepping away from Unpacked, the spin-off show from ITV’s I’m A Celebrity on which he came runner-up in 2016. He explained he felt it was the right time to go, despite the show still being one of the most “genuinely magical” experiences of his life.
“It was a really tough decision, because I loved my job,” he says. “On the other hand, I love spending time with my two sons, I love spending time with my wife. I’m trying my best to figure out what the right balance is and the show was starting to go in a different direction, so it felt like the right time to leave.”
He adds, “It feels sad, but you know what? I got 10 years out of it, 10 years of going back to that wonderful place. The fact that I’ve been able to go back and experience it as a sort of voyeur instead of being in the jungle feels really special.”
Staying with The Masked Singer
However, Joel has no plans to step away from The Masked Singer, which he has presented since it became an instant hit in 2020. He will be there for the new series next year, which sees Celebrity Traitors winner Alan Carr joining the judging panel.
“I’m very excited to do the show with Alan. He fits the show so perfectly,” he says. According to Joel, the next season is being taken to “another level”, with a new competitive edge. “But what makes it so exciting is that Wilde will be coming along to the show. He’s been before, but this is the first year that he’ll understand it and enjoy it,” Joel says. “I can’t wait for that, I think it’s going to be great.”
Seeing his sons on set with him is something he’s wanted to do for years – since the first time he hosted This Morning back in 2023. He was presenting alongside Holly Willoughby, who had brought in her children, Harry, Chester and Belle.
Smiling to himself, he says, “They showed them around the set and it was really exciting. She got a photo on the couch with them and I remember that moment all the time. I think back to it now and I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m nearly there.’”
Hosting the National Television Awards
Joel is also being brought back to host the National Television Awards this month – his sixth time in a row as its presenter. Every year, he rubs shoulders with national treasures, such as Ian McKellen, and he tells us that “just to be part of that is really cool”.
“There was a moment where I was still on stage with Ian McKellen for seven minutes, watching the VTs,” Joel says. “I was just panting, because I was running around before, but then I was watching the VTs with Ian, who was presenting an award next. We had a nice little chat and I loved that moment because he’s someone you would never meet in real life.”
But when asked who he’d love to see at the awards, his answer was his sons. “Fingers crossed I’ll be involved with the NTAs long enough for them to come with me. That would be really, really fun.”
Watch The National Television Awards 2026 live on Tuesday 8 September from 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
