Masked Dancer star forced to quit show after horror fall backstage – but fans won’t find out who until Saturday night
GIVEN all the padding in those costumes, The Masked Dancer is one of the safest TV shows for contestants.
But one mystery star is regretting not having worn their outfit in rehearsal — after they took a tumble and injured their ankle so badly they have been forced to pull out of the ITV dance contest.
That now means three contestants will be unmasked on tomorrow night’s show, instead of the planned two.
A show insider said: “It’s really bad luck. ITV obviously aren’t revealing who the injured character is, they’ll wait for Saturday’s show.
“It’s ironic they got injured while they were not even wearing their crazy costume because the celebrities are barely out of them backstage.”
Just four acts have so far been unmasked in this year’s series, Jesse Metcalfe (Astronaut), Joanna Page (Pig), Stacey Dooley (Prawn Cocktail) and Gareth Malone (Cactus).
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Viewers who watched last week’s show will have been surprised to learn that there will now be a triple eviction tomorrow.
What they did not know is that this only came about after the accident posed a problem for producers.
The show’s guessers — Oti Mabuse, Davina McCall, Peter Crouch and Jonathan Ross — will still have a go at working out who the third person is before they are revealed.
And the celebrity will hear the usual ceremonious chanting of “Take it Off!” as host Joel Dommett asks them to unveil themself.
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The only difference, for obvious but unfortunate reasons, is that they will not get another chance to show their dancing skills.
Saturday’s show will feature all the remaining eight Masked Dancers for the first time.
One of whom will have a noticeable limp.
Brrravo Tyler
STRICTLY’S Tyler West will run the London Marathon on Sunday – then recover for the dance show by freezing his, er, glitterballs off.
The Kiss FM DJ has booked a post-race cryotherapy session – braving a chamber of super-cold air to trigger endorphins and ease sore muscles.
Tyler, partnered by pro dancer Dianne Buswell on the BBC’s Strictly, said: “I’m sure that along the marathon route I’ll get questions about Strictly, but my question back will be, ‘Did you vote for me? Come on!’
“I’m not going to get a Mo Farah time, I’m just going to do my best and support everyone running alongside me.
“Hopefully I can show that if I can do it while also on Strictly, every-one should think about trying it.”
- Sponsor Tyler at justgiving.com/campaign/tylerandtaylor
Finding Harry
FINDING a young actor to play Prince Harry is proving harder than was first thought.
Netflix has once again released a casting call looking for a lucky someone to take on the role in royal drama The Crown.
Whoever steps up will need to have a “strong resemblance” to Harry when he was around the ages of 16 to 20 – and professional acting experience is NOT required.
A show source said: “It’s not turning out as simple as they had hoped, to find a Harry.
“Filming starts in November so the pressure is being ramped up on the search.”
Potential Harrys are being asked to send in a 30-second video “filmed in natural light” and showing only their head and shoulders, in a bid to prove they’ve got what it takes to take on the role.
If only Harry Potter star Rupert Grint was 15 years younger . . .
IT’S a year since ITV’s Loose Women launched its Menopause Manifesto campaign, to change how the issue is handled.
As part of this, they commissioned a survey – and shockingly it finds almost one in four menopausal women fear their partner may leave them because of it.
‘Moment of madness’
VIRGIN Radio star Graham Norton had extra reason to be shocked by Will Smith slapping comic Chris Rock at this year’s Oscars.
He reckons actor Will’s action was at odds with how he seemed on Graham’s BBC chat show.
Speaking at Norwich’s Theatre Royal, he said: “We have this idea he snapped but the Will I have spent time with is so in charge, disciplined and aware of who he is.
“That moment of madness, we will never know what happened.”
FOR James Bond’s 60th anniversary celebrations, The Sound of 007 is on Amazon Prime Video from Wednesday – James Bond Day.
It’s an exclusive recording of the official charity concert on October 4 and will feature Bond theme crooners Dame Shirley Bassey and Lulu.
Gran’s work
DAVID WALLIAMS and Sheridan Smith will co-star in a TV adaptation of his children’s book Gangsta Granny Strikes Again.
The book is the sequel to David’s original tale of 2011 – made into a film two years later, with Miranda Hart.
Sheridan previously starred with David in TV versions of his children’s books Mr Stink and Ratburger.
In their latest outing, to air next year, they play Mike and Linda, parents of Ben (Archie Yates) who is missing his dead gran.
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But then clues to new thefts seem, oddly, like the work of his gran.
David says: “It is a thrill to revisit these characters.”