MASKED MELODIES

Hot on the heels of the Christmas special, more famous faces – in suitably flamboyant costumes – will be revealed in the new series of The Masked Singer

- LAUREN MORRIS

A snail in a petticoat, a giant shrub and a flamenco-dancing crab are set to sing their hearts out for a celebrity panel, which can only mean one thing – The Masked Singer is back!

The ITV competition is entering its sixth series and while viewers are used to watching wacky characters belt out big hits onstage, guessing who they are has proved tough for new celebrity panellist Maya Jama.

The Love Island host, who replaces Rita Ora in the new series, admits, “It’s a billion times harder than I expected. When you watch it at home on TV, you think, ‘Oh, easy, I know that.’

But actually being in the studio, it’s really challenging!”

Maya, 30, joins Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross and Mo Gilligan this year, with the four stars brushing up their detective skills to work out which celebs are singing behind the mask.

A novel experience for Maya, the presenter drew on her stage-school background to embrace the big production.

“I never know what’s going to happen each day, it’s been such a laugh,” Maya says. “It did feel like the first day at school, and like I’m in the biggest performing arts production ever.

“I went to a performing arts school and this is exactly what you dream of working on when you’re studying.”