The Masked Singer fans rumble the Rat as THIS Coronation Street star

(Image credit: ITV)

The Masked Singer UK returned to screens last night and viewers are convinced they've rumbled the rat's identity.

Last night's show saw Panellists Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross and Mo Gilligan and guest panellist Charlie Simpson trying to work out the identity of six new characters

Rat took to the stage in last night's episode, giving a big performance, as well as dropping some clues. They were against the Weather.

Viewers have taken to social media after the clues to guess Rat's identity, with many suggesting that it's most likely to be a familiar face from Coronation Street, Claire Sweeny.

The clues given on the night included a Liverpudlian accent, as well as some social media references and a lot of hints about cleaning, leading viewers to guess that it's the former Brookside and Coronation Street star.

'Rat is Claire Sweeney. For sure!!!' wrote one fan on X (formerly Twitter).

#TheMaskedSinger Rat is Claire Sweeney. For sure!!!December 30, 2023

'I think Claire Sweeney is a good guess for Rat but I’m not sure the accent is real, when she sang it sounded like Mel Giedroyc to me,' commented another fan.

#TheMaskedSinger Rat is Claire Sweeney. For sure!!!December 30, 2023

While another said, 'Claire Sweeney for Rat.'

Claire Sweeney for Rat #MaskedSingerUKDecember 30, 2023

While another fan wrote, 'Think Rat Has Potential But That Song Was Just Ridiculous It Didnt Suit Her Hope She Gets A Better Song Next Time And Lasts Longer On The Masked Singer Than The Rat Last Year. Think Its A TV Or Radio Host.'

Think Rat Has Potential But That Song Was JustRidiculous It Didnt Suit HerHope She Gets A Better Song Next TimeAnd Lasts Longer On TheMasked Singer Than The Rat Last Year.Think Its A TV Or Radio Host.December 30, 2023

And another fan had a different theory entirely, writing, 'Could Rat on The Masked Singer UK be a Spice Girl?'

Could Rat on The Masked Singer UK be a Spice Girl? All the theories so farSome of the clues. have led to the suspicion Rat is involved in the DIY world (Picture: ITV) Mel C… pic.twitter.com/UMkS3ROWaiDecember 31, 2023

This year, TV chef Ainsley Harriott won the festive edition of The Masked Singer UK in the Partridge (In A Pear Tree) costume.

Other celebrities taking part were Carol Vorderman as Reindeer, Tony Robinson as Sprout, and Julian Clary as Decorations.

Fans of the show will be pleased to hear The Masked Singer UK 2024 is on the way and some fun new costumes are taking to the stage including Piranha, Dippy Egg, and Chicken Caesar.

The Masked Singer UK airs on ITV1 and ITVX.

Lauren is the former Deputy Digital Editor at woman&home and became a journalist mainly because she enjoys being nosy. With a background in features journalism, Lauren worked on the woman&home brand for four years before going freelance. Before woman&home Lauren worked across a variety of women's lifestyle titles, including GoodTo, Woman's Own, and Woman magazine. After starting out working for a local paper in Yorkshire, her journalism career took her to Bristol where she hunted out stories for national papers and magazines at Medavia news agency, before landing a job in London working as a lifestyle assistant.

A big fan of adventure, Lauren is also a keen travel writer and loves sharing tips on where to find the best places to eat, drink, and be merry off the beaten track. Lauren has written a series of travel guides for London hotels and loves sharing her insights into a destination's cultural and culinary offerings. If you need a recommendation on any UK destination, she's more than happy to help. At the weekend, you'll usually find her hanging out with her pet cat (or anyone else's pet she can get her hands on), escaping to the countryside, or devouring a good book.