Viewers of ITV's The Masked Singer are now certain that the mystery celebrity inside the Red Panda costume is actor and writer Simon Farnaby. The speculation reached fever pitch after the contestant finally made their televised performance debut on Saturday night's episode.
A Delayed and Sensitive Debut
The Red Panda's journey on the show had an unusual start. Their planned performance was pulled from the launch episode just hours before transmission. This decision followed the tragic fire at the Le Constellation bar in Switzerland on New Year's Eve, which killed around 40 people.
ITV bosses intervened to scrap the routine after deeming it potentially insensitive. The celebrity was due to perform The Trammps' Disco Inferno, a 1976 song, with dancers reportedly wearing fire-style suits. An ITV spokesperson stated the removal was due to "potential insensitivities within the theme and lyrics of the song" in light of the Swiss tragedy.
The Performance and Fan Reaction
Red Panda finally took to the stage this weekend, performing a rendition of Bat Out Of Hell. While the panel, including judges such as Mo Gilligan, guessed it might be comedian Alan Carr, the online audience had different ideas.
Fans on social media platform X were quick to identify the voice as that of Simon Farnaby. Comments included: 'It's Simon Farnaby.' and 'I can hear Simon Farnaby in red panda.' Many referenced his distinctive vocal style from the sketch show Horrible Histories, particularly the Stupid Deaths segments.
Farnaby is known for his work on Horrible Histories, Yonderland, and the BBC sitcom Ghosts, as well as film roles in Paddington 2 and The Magic Faraway Tree.
Investigation into the Swiss Tragedy
The fire that prompted the show's schedule change occurred in the early hours of New Year's Day at a popular bar in a Valais ski resort. More than 200 young people were inside when the blaze broke out in the basement, leaving dozens dead and hundreds with severe burns.
Swiss authorities confirmed a criminal investigation has been launched. The bar's owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, are being investigated on suspicion of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence, and arson by negligence.
ITV has confirmed that Red Panda will remain in the competition and perform again in upcoming episodes of the series.
