The Masked Dancer (British TV series) series 1

The first series of the British version of The Masked Dancer premiered on ITV on 29 May 2021, and concluded on 5 June 2021. The series was won by Olympic gymnast Louis Smith as "Carwash", with actress/dancer Bonnie Langford finishing second as "Squirrel", and singer Howard Donald placing third as "Zip".

The Masked Dancer
Series 1
Starring
Hosted byJoel Dommett
No. of contestants12
WinnerLouis Smith as "Carwash"
Runner-upBonnie Langford as "Squirrel"
No. of episodes7
Release
Original networkITV
Original release29 May (2021-05-29) –
5 June 2021 (2021-06-05)
Series chronology
Next →
Series 2

Production

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On 4 March 2021, it was announced that ITV were producing a local version of the American television dancing competition The Masked Dancer following the success of its sister show The Masked Singer.[1] The series consisted of 12 contestants competing through seven episodes.[2] The series was commissioned as a replacement in the spring schedule for Britain's Got Talent, which had its upcoming fifteenth series postponed until 2022 due to health and safety concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.[3][4] The show premiered on 29 May 2021.[5][6]

Panellists and host

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Following the announcement of the series, it was confirmed by ITV that the panel would consist of presenter and comedian Jonathan Ross, television presenter Davina McCall, and comedian Mo Gilligan, who are all panellists on The Masked Singer, along with Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse. It was also confirmed that Joel Dommett would host the show.[1]

Guest panellists included David Walliams in the fifth episode, John Bishop in the sixth episode, and Holly Willoughby in the seventh episode.[7][8]

Contestants

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One of the shows sponsors, Lidl, had a product placement mask known as "Goose", who was unmasked to be Love Island winner Dani Dyer.[9]

Results
Stage name[10] Celebrity Occupation(s) Episodes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Carwash Louis Smith Olympic gymnast WIN SAFE SAFE RISK WINNER
Squirrel Bonnie Langford Actress/dancer RISK SAFE SAFE SAFE RUNNER-UP
Zip Howard Donald Singer WIN SAFE RISK SAFE THIRD
Scarecrow Tamzin Outhwaite Actress WIN SAFE SAFE SAFE OUT
Frog Kelly Brook Model/actress RISK RISK SAFE OUT
Knickerbocker Glory Craig Revel Horwood Dancer/TV judge RISK RISK SAFE OUT
Llama Zoe Ball DJ/TV presenter WIN SAFE OUT
Beagle Christopher Dean Olympic ice dancer WIN SAFE OUT
Rubber Chicken Eddie the Eagle Olympic ski-jumper WIN OUT
Beetroot Dita Von Teese Burlesque dancer RISK OUT
Flamingo Louise Redknapp Singer OUT
Viper Jordan Banjo Dancer OUT
  The masked dancer won their face-off and remained in the competition.
  The masked dancer was safe from elimination.
  The masked dancer lost their face-off and was in the bottom three/two, but was not eliminated.
  The masked dancer was eliminated from the competition and unmasked upon their elimination.
  The masked dancer did not perform.
  The masked dancer won the competition.
  The masked dancer finished second.
  The masked dancer finished third.
The celebrities who competed in the first series of The Masked Dancer, pictured in order of elimination (L–R):


Louise Redknapp ("Flamingo"), Dita Von Teese ("Beetroot"), Eddie the Eagle ("Rubber Chicken"), Christopher Dean ("Beagle"), Zoe Ball ("Llama"), Craig Revel Horwood ("Knickerbocker Glory"), Kelly Brook ("Frog"), Tamzin Outhwaite ("Scarecrow"), Howard Donald ("Zip"), Bonnie Langford ("Squirrel"), and Louis Smith ("Carwash")

Not pictured: Jordan Banjo ("Viper")

Episodes

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Episode 1 (29 May)

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Performances on the first episode
# Stage name Song Identity Result
1 Zip "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang/"Good Times" by Chic undisclosed WIN
2 Knickerbocker Glory "Telephone" by Lady Gaga & Beyoncé undisclosed RISK
3 Beetroot "I Put a Spell on You" by Annie Lennox undisclosed RISK
4 Llama "Soul Bossa Nova" by Quincy Jones undisclosed WIN
5 Viper "Are You Gonna Go My Way" by Lenny Kravitz Jordan Banjo OUT
6 Scarecrow "September" by Justin Timberlake & Anna Kendrick undisclosed WIN

Episode 2 (30 May)

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Performances on the second episode
# Stage name Song Identity Result
1 Squirrel "Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift undisclosed RISK
2 Carwash "Car Wash" by Christina Aguilera feat. Missy Elliott undisclosed WIN
3 Flamingo "Lady Marmalade" by Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mýa, Pink & Missy Elliott Louise Redknapp OUT
4 Rubber Chicken "Hippy Hippy Shake" by The Swinging Blue Jeans undisclosed WIN
5 Frog "Boom! Shake the Room" by DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince undisclosed RISK
6 Beagle "Bang Bang" by will.i.am undisclosed WIN

Episode 3 (31 May)

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Performances on the third episode
# Stage name Song Result
1 Knickerbocker Glory "All That Jazz" by Liza Minnelli RISK
2 Llama "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish SAFE
3 Scarecrow "Timber" by Pitbull feat. Kesha SAFE
4 Beetroot "It's My Party" by Lesley Gore RISK
5 Zip "Jungle Boogie" by Kool & the Gang SAFE
Dance-Off Identity Result
1 Knickerbocker Glory "I'm So Excited" by The Pointer Sisters undisclosed SAFE
2 Beetroot "Ex's & Oh's" by Elle King Dita Von Teese OUT

Episode 4 (1 June)

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Performances on the fourth episode
# Stage name Song Result
1 Carwash "You're the One That I Want"/"Greased Lightnin'"/"Born to Hand Jive" from Grease SAFE
2 Rubber Chicken "Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit of...)" by Lou Bega RISK
3 Frog "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole RISK
4 Beagle "Hound Dog" by Elvis Presley SAFE
5 Squirrel "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" by Beyoncé SAFE
Dance-Off Identity Result
1 Rubber Chicken "Take a Chance on Me" by ABBA Eddie the Eagle OUT
2 Frog "Hey Ya!" by Outkast undisclosed SAFE

Episode 5 (3 June)

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Performances on the fifth episode
# Stage name Song Identity Result
1 Frog "Little Shop of Horrors" from Little Shop of Horrors undisclosed SAFE
2 Beagle "Fly Me to the Moon" by Frank Sinatra Christopher Dean OUT
3 Carwash "24K Magic" by Bruno Mars undisclosed SAFE
4 Scarecrow "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran undisclosed SAFE
5 Squirrel "Scream" by Usher undisclosed SAFE
6 Zip "A Sky Full of Stars" by Coldplay undisclosed RISK
7 Llama "You Never Can Tell" by Chuck Berry Zoe Ball OUT
8 Knickerbocker Glory "Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels" by Todrick Hall undisclosed SAFE

Episode 6: Semi-final (4 June)

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Performances on the sixth episode
# Stage name Song Identity Result
1 Carwash "Singin' in the Rain" from Singin' in the Rain undisclosed RISK
2 Frog "Shout Out to My Ex" by Little Mix undisclosed RISK
3 Squirrel "Havana" by Camila Cabello feat. Young Thug undisclosed SAFE
4 Zip "Use It Up and Wear It Out" by Odyssey undisclosed SAFE
5 Knickerbocker Glory "Despacito" by Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee/"Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran Craig Revel Horwood OUT
6 Scarecrow "Bye Bye Bye" by NSYNC undisclosed SAFE
Dance-Off Identity Result
1 Carwash "Move Your Feet" by Junior Senior undisclosed SAFE
2 Frog "One Way or Another" by Blondie Kelly Brook OUT

Episode 7: Final (5 June)

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Group number: "Dancing in the Street" by Marvin Gaye

First performances on the seventh episode
# Stage name Song Identity Result
1 Scarecrow "Come Alive" from The Greatest Showman Tamzin Outhwaite OUT
2 Zip "Super Freak" by Rick James undisclosed SAFE
3 Squirrel "Bang Bang" by Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj undisclosed SAFE
4 Carwash "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO ft. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock undisclosed SAFE
Second performances on the seventh episode
# Stage name Song Identity Result
1 Zip "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang/"Good Times" by Chic Howard Donald THIRD PLACE
2 Squirrel "Shake It Off" by Taylor Swift Bonnie Langford RUNNER-UP
3 Carwash "You're the One That I Want"/"Greased Lightnin'"/"Born to Hand Jive" from Grease Louis Smith WINNER

Ratings

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Official ratings are taken from BARB, utilising the four-screen dashboard which includes viewers who watched the programme on laptops, smartphones, and tablets within 28 days of the original broadcast.[11]

Episode Date Official 28 day rating
(millions)
Weekly rank
for ITV
1 29 May 4.02 15
2 30 May Outside top 15
3 31 May 3.67 14
4 1 June 3.41 15
5 3 June 3.75 13
6 4 June 3.98 12
7 5 June 4.65 7

References

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  1. ^ a b "ITV commissions The Masked Dancer" (Press release). ITV. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021 – via ITV Press Centre.
  2. ^ Naman Ramachandran (4 March 2021). "ITV Unveils The Masked Dancer After Hit Show The Masked Singer". Variety. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  3. ^ Jake Kanter (4 March 2021). "ITV Orders The Masked Dancer Following The Success Of The Masked Singer". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  4. ^ "Britain's Got Talent Series 15 Postponed 'til 2022". ITV. 29 January 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  5. ^ Josh Darvill (19 May 2021). "The Masked Dancer start date and first look revealed!". TellyMix. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  6. ^ Lauren Morris (18 May 2021). "The Masked Dancer release date: judges, contestants, clues and latest news". Radio Times. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  7. ^ Rose Hill (13 May 2021). "David Walliams joins Masked Dancer panel as show replaces Britain's Got Talent". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  8. ^ Josh Darvill (25 May 2021). "John Bishop, David Walliams and Holly Willoughby join The Masked Dancer as guest panellists". TellyMix. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  9. ^ LidlGB (5 June 2021). "@LidlGB on Twitter: It's the day you have been waiting for!! It's time for Goose to TAKE IT OFF!". Twitter. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  10. ^ Justin Harp (7 May 2021). "The Masked Dancer UK unveils cast for series 1 in first-look photos". Digital Spy. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  11. ^ "Most viewed programmes". BARB. Retrieved 13 October 2021.