Known for presenting This Morning, dad-of-two Ben Shephard has told how his latest project — an appearance on popular show The Masked Singer — left him gripped with nerves
Ben Shephard is pictured on the This Morning sofa(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
This Morning host Ben Shephard has joked he was “slap bang in the middle of a midlife crisis” when he filmed The Masked Singer.
The TV presenter, 51, narrowly missed out on being crowned winner of the popular programme on Saturday, losing to former Sugababes star Keisha Buchanan, who performed as Moth. Ben, who was Conkers in the final, said the experience was “so traumatic” to the point where he had sleepless nights.
Ben, who has been the face of This Morning with Kate Deeley since March 2024, said: “Ah man, it was so traumatic, I had no sleep, it was relentless and brilliant at the same time. It was this crazy juxtaposition of this incredible rush when it was done and the trauma of doing even more tomorrow because we filmed every other day.
“I had so many flipping songs and lyrics to learn, I would wake up in the middle of the night, and I would try and go for a wee, and I would have to sing the song three times in my head before I could go.”
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Ben Shephard was unmasked beneath the Conker costume(Image: ITV)
Ben typically had to wake up at 3.30am when he hosted Good Morning Britain on Thursdays and Fridays for 10 years. However, the father of two was anxiously waking in the middle of the night during his time recording The Masked Singer.
He told the Daily Mail: “Basically, doing The Masked Singer, I was slap bang in the middle of a midlife crisis but what was much better than getting a fast car, was to surround myself in a beautiful Conkers costume… There is certainly the sense of anticipation before every show — but the only time I get nervous is when I feel I’m out of my depth like The Masked Singer, when I really question my life choices.”
The judging panel of Maya Jama, Jonathan Ross, Mo Gilligan, Davina McCall, and last year’s winner Samantha Barks unmasked Ben, who posted a grovelling apology on social media after Saturday’s final aired. The presenter, born in Epping, Essex, said: “For everyone whose songs I destroyed I’m so so sorry. For everyone who listened I’m even more apologetic. For the amazing team who created Conkers you are the real stars – I can’t thank you enough he was very special.”
Ben had belted out his own version of JLS hit Everybody In Love despite Marvin Humes being in the very same line-up as Can of Worms. The journalist, though, found it difficult to keep his identity hidden from the judges and host Joel Dommett, who is his friend and podcast co-host.