No disrespect to the line-up of The Masked Singer UK, but it’s not unfair to say that the show’s US counterpart has consistently outdone us when it comes to star bookings.
But it seems even they still have a fair few tricks up their sleeve.
During the show’s season launch, which aired in the States on Wednesday night, none other than Dick Van Dyke was unmasked, after performing a rendition of the standard When You’re Smiling in character as Gnome.
Best known for his roles in Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, as well as his sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show, the 97-year-old ended the show by reprising his performance, much to the delight of the panel, many of whom were moved to tears.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly after his elimination, Dick admitted he’d not actually seen the show before agreeing to take part.
“I was so positive that nobody would ever guess it was me, that they would have somebody 97 years old on there,” he said.
“And the experience was weird, because they have to keep it a secret from the crew. So I walked around with my head covered with people leading me. They’ve got a nice crew, but I never got to meet any of them!”
Dick was last seen on screen in the Disney sequel Mary Poppins Returns, in which he performed a tap-dance routine, and voiced a character in the US sitcom Kidding.
Meanwhile, the finale of The Masked Singer UK is set to air over the weekend, with just three celebrities left in the competition.