Comedy Legend's Identity Unveiled on The Masked Singer UK

Viewers of ITV's hit entertainment show 'The Masked Singer UK' were left stunned when Red Panda's identity was revealed in the 2026 season. During the January 31st broadcast ahead of the semi-finals, the eliminated Red Panda was unmasked as legendary British comedian Harry Hill (61).

The episode featured six contestants taking the stage: Can of Worms, Toastie, Conkers, Moth, Red Panda, and Sloth. The panel consisted of Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross, Maya Jama, and Mo Gilligan.

Elaborate Strategy to Conceal Identity

Harry Hill employed a unique method to hide his identity. He impersonated fellow comedian Alan Carr's distinctive voice, completely throwing the panelists off track. As a result, the panel guessed Tom Fletcher (McFly member), Professor Brian Cox, Alan Carr, and Chris Ramsey as potential candidates, but none identified him correctly.

After being unmasked, Harry joked, "I'd like to apologize to Alan Carr." Panelist Mo Gilligan was particularly frustrated, having been convinced throughout the 2025 season that Harry was the Kingfisher character.

Clues Hidden Throughout

Red Panda's VT videos contained several clues hinting at Harry's career:

• Makeup artist in rave outfit: Referenced Harry's past TV program 'Harry Hill's Clubnite'
• XL tomato soup can: Evoked the 'Harry Hill's Cream of TV Burp' DVD cover
• "Follow your nose" line: Hinted at Harry's ability to play the nose flute
• Clapperboard on costume: Referenced 'The Harry Hill Movie' production

Viewer Reactions and Revival Calls

Social media erupted with surprise and excitement over Harry's reveal. One viewer commented, "I've predicted Harry Hill every year, and he appears the one year I don't!" while another said, "Alan Carr's voice completely fooled me."

Particularly notable were calls for the revival of Harry's signature show 'TV Burp'. One fan expressed, "It's so good to see Harry Hill back in the public eye" and hoped for the program's return.

Participation Background and Behind-the-Scenes

In a post-elimination interview, Harry revealed, "Every year I've been linked to The Masked Singer and my name gets mentioned. I'd get texts from friends asking if I was a certain character, so this time I decided to actually join."

He added, "Sometimes I tend to take myself too seriously, but this show was really fun."

Regarding keeping the secret, Harry credited his wife's role. "I wanted to tell the kids, but my wife stopped me. She's so good at lying it's almost worrying," he joked. When he returned from filming, one of his children asked, "Dad, where were you?" and his wife smoothly provided an alternative explanation.

Notably, Red Panda's first performance was not broadcast on TV. Harry concluded his season after being eliminated before the semi-finals.