The Masked Singer heading for third series after monster final ratings

Masked Singer winner Joss Stone
(Image credit: ITV)

The Masked Singer has been an enormous hit

The Masked Singer is all but certain to return for a third series after attracting huge ratings for Saturday’s final.

The ITV hit peaked at 10.6 million viewers as to everyone’s disbelief it was revealed that Sausage was none other than singer Joss Stone.

The Masked Singer Mo Gilligan, Davina McCall, Joel Dommett, Rita Ora and Jonathan Ross in their finery

The Masked Singer has been so much fun.

Panelists Davina McCall, Rita Ora, Jonathan Ross, Mo Gilligan and guest panelist Nicola Roberts (last year’s winner as Queen Bee) were stunned by the revelation. Most viewers thought that Sausage was either Sheridan Smith or Stacey Solomon.

Sausage was crowned the show’s winner - with Ne-Yo as badger taking second place, while JLS star Aston Merrygold was revealed to be Robin.

An average of 8.6 millions viewers tuned into the final, making it the biggest live TV audience of the year so far outside of news and sport.

That figure was more than two million more than the number for last year’s final. The big ratings make it inevitable ITV will now order a third series. The Masked singer opened on Boxing Day with a respectable 4.2 million fans but that number has grown as viewers became addicted to guessing who were behind the masks.

Kevin Lygo, ITV’s Managing Director, Media and Entertainment, said: “In these testing times, we’re delighted that The Masked Singer has brought some escapist joy and light relief to so many viewers at home. At the end of a long week in lockdown we’re all coming together and trying to guess who’s dressed as a giant sausage, and quite frankly, it’s been a brilliantly entertaining tonic.”

Meanwhile, Sheridan Smith has spoken about how she’s flattered that many people thought she was Sausage.

She tweeted: “Well, there you have it! I am very flattered that for 8 weeks some of you thought it was me, although I do very much love eating chips and sausage with gravy. Well done, Joss Stone!”

ITV has also got the rights to The Masked Singer's sister show, The Masked Dancer, which is likely to air later this year.

David Hollingsworth
Editor

David is the What To Watch Editor and has over 20 years of experience in television journalism. He is currently writing about the latest television and film news for What To Watch.

Before working for What To Watch, David spent many years working for TV Times magazine, interviewing some of television's most famous stars including Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland, singer Lionel Richie and wildlife legend Sir David Attenborough. 

David started out as a writer for TV Times before becoming the title's deputy features editor and then features editor. During his time on TV Times, David also helped run the annual TV Times Awards. David is a huge Death in Paradise fan, although he's still failed to solve a case before the show's detective! He also loves James Bond and controversially thinks that Timothy Dalton was an excellent 007.

Other than watching and writing about telly, David loves playing cricket, going to the cinema, trying to improve his tennis and chasing about after his kids!