Ben Shephard has revealed how he tricked his fellow judges on The Masked Singer by performing as the Conker costume while also serving as a guest judge earlier in the series. The 51-year-old This Morning presenter was unmasked as the runner-up in the 2026 finale, leaving judges Mo Gilligan, Maya Jama, Davina McCall and Jonathan Ross stunned.
Shephard had appeared as a guest judge during a Halloween-themed episode in mid-January, just weeks before being revealed as a contestant. In a post-show interview, he admitted he relished fooling his co-stars. 'I've loved it. The experience has been remarkable,' he said. 'Davina was talking to me in the most minute detail about what happens when you're a contestant on the show. I was asking her loads of questions.'
The television presenter confessed he enjoyed adopting the persona of Conker, a character he described as 'brave' but 'a little bit nervous'. He added: 'You might not have realised that I'm not necessarily the best singer. The costumes are incredible, my costume particularly had so much going for it. I fell in love with it immediately.'
Shephard, a father of two sons aged 21 and 19, said his family would be 'thrilled to bits' by his secret participation. He also suggested his This Morning co-host Cat Deeley would be stunned, noting: 'Cat's boys love the show... The bizarre thing is, I have been interviewing all the unmasked celebrities on This Morning. They have no idea I'm on the show and still in it!'
The final saw Sugababes star Keisha Buchanan crowned winner as Moth, while Mica Paris performed as a toasted sandwich. Past contestants Andrea Corr, Will Young and Samantha Barks also returned for duets. It remains unclear if the show will return, having been renewed for two seasons in 2024 covering 2025 and 2026.
