Comedian Matt Lucas delivered one of the biggest surprises of the current series of ITV's The Masked Singer, leaving the panel and audience stunned when he was unmasked as the Emperor Penguin on Sunday night's show.
Parents' Priceless Reaction Goes Viral
Following the dramatic reveal, the Little Britain star took to Instagram to share a video capturing the moment his own parents discovered his secret. Matt explained that his mother, Diana, and his stepfather were watching the show with him, completely unaware he was the celebrity inside the elaborate costume.
The clip shows the trio on a sofa before the unmasking. As Matt's identity is revealed on screen, his mum leaps up in shock, exclaiming, "I don't believe it! You're joking!" Lucas captioned the post: 'My mum and stepdad were watching The Masked Singer with me tonight, blissfully unaware…'
Fans Spot Uncanny Family Resemblance
While the reveal itself was shocking, it was Matt's striking likeness to his mother that quickly became a major talking point among fans on social media. Viewers flooded the comments section of his post to point out the similarity.
One fan remarked, 'He looks so much like his Mum that I thought she was a character from Little Britain'. Another simply stated, 'they are the double of each other!', while a third commented on the familial resemblance to some of his famous characters, calling it 'cute!!'.
From Pinball Wizard to Penguin
During the show, Matt, as the Emperor Penguin, led a band named the Antarctic Funkeys in a performance of The Who's classic "Pinball Wizard". The performance left judges Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross, Maya Jama, and Mo Gilligan divided on the celebrity's true identity.
After the traditional "Take it off!" chant from the audience, the reveal was met with widespread astonishment. Upon removing the heavy headpiece, Lucas joked, "It was very, very hot in there indeed!" He later confirmed he chose the Emperor Penguin costume because he is a fan of the chocolate biscuit of the same name.
For his first performance unmasked, the multi-talented star, who has also enjoyed a successful theatre career in productions like Les Misérables, reprised his rendition of the rock classic.
Fans expressed their surprise on platform X, with one writing, "Matt Lucas...did not see that one! Well done sir...what a voice!" Another posted, "I’m actually gobsmacked that Matt Lucas was Penguin! Haha. Well done!"
The episode, which aired on Sunday, 5 January 2026, also saw singer Anne-Marie unveiled as the Goldfish from the 'No Trout' band the previous night. She performed her hit song "2002" after her unmasking.
