The Masked Singer UK is one of the most secretive shows on TV, leaving even the stars in the dark about who the characters' identities are.
The mysterious characters leave fans week on week trying to guess which famous face is behind the mask including host Joel Dommett and judges Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross, Rita Ora and Mo Gilligan.
Each celebrity is assigned a character and a costume, and only when they leave the show or win that they are unveiled to those watching, until then, the identities are top secret.
The hit ITV series returned to screens last weekend with two celebrities, Gloria Hunniford as Snow Leopard and Heather Small dressed as Chandelier revealing their identities.
The Daily Star takes a look into the measures taken to ensure the secrecy remains regarding who each star is behind the mask.
Non-disclosure agreement
Gloria Hunniford was unmasked as Snow Leopard and exclusively revealed to the Daily Star that to prevent a leak, The Masked Singer contestants are asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement and are told to not even tell their partners.
The Loose Women star did reveal that she did break some rules, she said: "What really surprised me is the amount of secrecy and how they manage to keep it all under wraps.
"They said honestly you can't tell your other halves but I did, and they were very good."
In total, the 81-year-old presenter told four people of her secret identity including her two sons, partner and her driver.
Costume
The mysterious costume might be a big give away with who is under the mask but it has been revealed that The Masked Singer contestants can throw off viewers by choosing a costume opposite to their personality
Heather Small, who was the lead singer of M People, spoke to Daily Star following her exit last weekend and revealed how she chose the Chandelier character to hide her usual movements.
She said: “I wanted a costume that would restrict my usual movements and I would have to use my hands in a different way.
"With the structure of the outfit, I wanted to make it difficult for people to guess.
“It was easier to use Chandelier compared to something more form fitting because I may not have given myself away vocally but bodily and I didn't want to do it. I wanted to take on a whole new aspect of performing.”
Multiple code names
The celebs playing the characters are made to feel "like a spy" as they are given more than one identity.
Forget the costumes, the stars under the masks also have extra names given to them in a hope to keep their real names top secret.
Heather revealed: "You have more than one identity. I had the name Chandelier and another name, so it's an identity in an identity within an identity.
"The second name was like a code word. FBI and M15 have nothing on The Masked Singer!”
Disguise
Some of the celebs under the masks on The Masked Singer have previously been discovered by fans due their recognisable and iconic voices.
From previous series we have seen characters such as hedgehog disguise his voice by being "posh at the beginning" to becoming Mancunican, said host Joel before Jason Manford was revealed under the mask.
Sophie Ellis Bexter, who was revealed as the alien last year, said she had to "play the game" by hiding her distinctive vocals.
She told The Mirror: "My kids found it absolutely hilarious that I had put on some weird accent, they were like 'why on Earth did you do that?'.
"For me I remember last year when the show was on, saying to someone, 'oh there is no way I could do that programme because people always say I've got a distinctive voice'.
"So I thought I've got to jump in with both feet really, and play the game because it's not really a singing competition, it's an identity competition.
Heather Small revealed she tried really hard to hide her iconic voice this series despite being unmasked first.
Becoming the character
The celebs under the masks become their characters as soon as they leave their homes.
The stars wear balaclava and gloves in the car as they head to the studio which has been revealed helps bring out the character.
Enjoyed the experience of being unknown, adding: “This is the most surreal part of it. No one knows who you are, a very select few know who you are.”
"I enjoyed the ‘hiding my identity’ bit because it helps keep you in character, bring out the character.
"Your identity is masked from the time you head towards the studio and before you leave you have to put on the balaclava and gloves and get in the car.
"I wanted people to think I was a singer. I wasn't going to undo my reputation on the show.”
The Masked Singer UK continues Saturday on ITV
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