Inside new Masked Dancer as Peter Crouch tells of crowd fury, toilet chats and how it’s harder than playing for England
HE’S the new boy trying to guess the identities of a dancing pig, shimmying sea slug and a posturing pearly king.
But The Masked Dancer’s new detective, Peter Crouch, more than held his own – and hopes to smash stereotypes in the process.
Namely, the robot dance move he is known for.
Crouchy said: “It was 2006, that was a long time ago when I did the robot. I’ve got so much more than the robot as well – that is a stigma, that!”
The footy legend reckons nothing has prepared him for sitting alongside Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross and Oti Mabuse.
So when asked which is more nerve wracking, his new role or taking a penalty for England, Crouchy says: “I trained every day to play football, so you’re ready to go.
READ MORE ON THE MASKED DANCER
"When I’m next to Davina, I’m looking at a strawberry . . . like, what have I got to do?
"There’s no training for that.”
But he was quickly sucked in and even began to suspect model wife Abbey Clancy.
He joked: “I did say to Ab, ‘Are you scissors’?”
Most read in The Sun
Sheridan gets Starstruck off
BOSSES of ITV’s Starstruck have waved goodbye to judge Sheridan Smith and replaced her with Shania Twain.
That won’t impress Sheridan much but the news is sure to thrill fans of the Canadian singer not to mention the talent contest when it returns for a second series.
Producers revealed the swap yesterday at ITV’s Autumn Entertainment launch — and Shania herself appeared via videolink.
She said: “Hi everyone. I’m here in Las Vegas.
“I’m about to get on the stage to do a show, but I wanted to take a quick minute to say that I’m so excited about heading to the UK soon to join the Starstruck panel. It’s a real honour. I am such a fan of the other artists on the panel.
“I love all of you and I just look forward to being able to tell you that in person when I get there. I can’t wait to see all the amazing talent there. All I can say is, ‘Let’s go, ITV’.”
Shania will join existing panelists Adam Lambert, Beverley Knight and Jason Manford when the show returns.
Starstruck launched last year and is a reboot of Stars In Their Eyes, which saw members of the public attempt to impersonate famous singers.
Bizarre spectacle
On the old programme there was only one person mimicking their idol, but on Starstruck there are three people all appearing as the same celeb — and they have to compete against one another.
That created the bizarre spectacle of host Olly Murs watching as a trio of blokes impersonated him.
I bet they do the same thing on episode one with Shania.
WARRIOR RETURNS
NINJA Warrior is back – and with contenders racing against elite Ninjas for the first time, the thrills come thick and fast.
Host Rochelle Humes said: “It’s tough and it takes no prisoners.
"If you fall you can hurt yourself.”
Commentator Chris Kamara added: “There are a few ‘ninjuries’!”
The new ITV series features the world’s first amputee contender, Mat Armitage – who lost his right foot following a motorbike crash – in an amazing show of strength.
Rochelle added: “Moments like Mat . . . we’re talking about athletes at this point.”
TOM’S HIT & MISS
THEY’RE the power players behind The Voice, with millions of record sales to their names.
But even Sir Tom Jones, Olly Murs and Anne-Marie admit they sometimes make mistakes.
Sir Tom revealed he missed one performer who deserved a chance, saying: “When you watch it afterwards, you think, ‘My god!
"How the hell did I miss that?’ But it happens, especially when there is so much talent.” It sounds like there’s tomfoolery backstage too.
Olly revealed that Tom is always trying to psych out the gang, including host Emma Willis, by reciting X-rated limericks just before they go on stage.
But Tom said he sometimes cannot comprehend more modern music.
He added: “I leave them to Anne-Marie. If it’s got a funny sound, it’s not going to work.” Anne-Marie said with a laugh: “Yes, I’ll take those ones!”
'You can’t unsee'
JOEL DOMMETT is known for his snazzy suits – but one space-themed creation proved to be a misstep.
The presenter laughed: “I had this suit made, it was like stars and galaxies. They had two blue ball planets where you’d expect. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it!”
JEREMY’S SILENCED BY WOSSY
WHO Wants To Be A Millionaire host Jeremy Clarkson has told how Jonathan Ross hung up on him during the programme’s Phone-a-Friend round.
Celebrity contestant Joel Dommett had picked the chat host for his lifeline on the show – but Wossy ended the call.
Ahead of the new series, which starts on Saturday, Jeremy said: “He told me to stop calling him at home and put the phone down.
“So we had to redial him and explain, no, I wasn’t just ringing to sell him double glazing or whatever it was he thought I was ringing for, and that he actually had to take the call.”
Jeremy, who runs his own farm in Oxfordshire part-time, added that he wished he could switch seats to “win some money” to give away to Britain’s farmers.
But the new series might not have been the best time, as he also revealed that one contestant missed out by the biggest amount ever.
He said: “We had our biggest ever drop. Somebody went to £125,000 without a safety net and then f***ed it up, so that really was an extremely alarming moment. It really, really was horrific.”
MASKED SPECIAL
FANS will be thrilled that two of the biggest shows are having a mash-up.
The Masked Singer will be doing an I’m A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out Of Here! special.
The one-off fusion is to celebrate the jungle show’s return to the Australia outback after spending the last two years in a windy Welsh castle.
Read More on The Sun
Read More on The Sun
The new campmates won’t be facing an early Bushtucker Trial, instead they will be dressed up in bonkers outfits on the Masked Singer.
The audience will no doubt be chanting I’m A Celeb . . . take it off!