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The Masked Singer: Former home secretary Alan Johnson revealed as mystery golden Pharaoh

Politician dressed up in a shiny gold suit and carried a staff on ITV singing contest

Ellie Harrison
Monday 06 January 2020 12:00 GMT
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Alan Johnson unmasked as The Pharaoh on The Masked Singer

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The Masked Singer viewers were beside themselves on Sunday night (5 January) after the mystery golden Pharaoh was revealed to be none other than former home secretary Alan Johnson.

Complete with a giant mask, shiny bodysuit and staff, Johnson performed The Bangles’ “Walk Like An Egyptian”, to the bafflement of judges Jonathan Ross, Davina McCall, Ken Jeong and Rita Ora.

The singing contest, hosted by comedian Joel Dommett, sees celebrities perform underneath an elaborate costume, meaning they can only be identified by their voice. Viewers called the launch show the worst TV they had ever seen.

Ross was convinced the masked singer would be Vince Cable while McCall and Ora guessed Ed Balls. Jeong, on the other hand, aimed high with Tony Blair.

Viewers of the show could not believe their eyes when the reveal was made, with one commenting: “Surely Alan Johnson isn’t on the telly dressed as a pharaoh singing a song by The Bangles? We’re imagining it. Half of us are still tired from the election and the rest of us are on acid.”

Another wrote: “Am I actually watching the former home secretary dressed as a pharaoh singing 'Walk Like An Egyptian' on prime time TV? THIS IS BATS***. I F***ING LOVE IT. OBSESSED.”

“Alan Johnson has deleted the concept of dignity,” said a third.

Johnson admitted he found it hard to keep his involvement a secret from everyone. “Very hard,” he said. “The show is so extraordinary it’s almost perverse to keep mute about it.”

On his costume, he added: “I thought it was so amazingly detailed and skilfully made that it should have gone straight to a museum.”

The Masked Singer continues on Saturday 7 December at 7pm on ITV.

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