Ben Shephard has revealed how he managed to keep his identity secret on The Masked Singer, even fooling his ITV co-stars. The This Morning host, 51, finished as runner-up in the 2026 series, performing as Conkers. Sugababes star Keisha Buchanan won as Moth, while actress Mica Paris came third as Toastie.
Neither Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross, Maya Jama, nor Mo Gilligan guessed Shephard was behind the costume. Host Joel Dommett fell to the floor in shock, as Shephard had sat in as a guest panellist weeks earlier without giving anything away. Speaking after the final, Shephard admitted he 'couldn't wait' for the secret to be exposed, having interviewed eliminated contestants on This Morning all series.
Shephard described the experience as 'remarkable' and 'really special', saying: 'As a rule, I think I'm pretty straight down the line, and the fact I got to do something so underhand…' He added that Davina McCall discussed being a contestant with him in detail, and he asked her lots of questions to maintain his cover. He also noted that co-host Cat Deeley's sons love the show, and he was eager to see their reactions.
Cat Deeley commented on Instagram: 'The costume! I cried the first time I saw it!!!!!', while Lorraine Kelly and Gaby Roslin also praised his performance. Viewers on X hailed Shephard for his misdirection, with one writing: 'Appearing on the panel in the same series was a genius bit of misdirection. Brilliant contestant.' Another said: 'Ben Shephard!!! What!! Who knew that man could sing! What a pleasant surprise! Best reveal of the series!!'
Clues pointing to Shephard included the phrase 'Hanging on the edge' (a nod to Tipping Point), a reference to starting out on Davina's show Good Stuff, and a Conkers-printed blanket linked to a Coronation Street scene. Shephard said he played into the castle references in his costume, working on the idea that Conkers wants to be brave but is nervous.
