ITV has reportedly handed Joel Dommett his biggest presenting role to date – by hiring him for The Masked Singer UK.
In May, the broadcaster confirmed it is launching a British adaptation of the global entertainment hit.
It sees 12 celebrity contestants sing to the nation in disguise as unique characters, which they must maintain throughout the series.
The least popular characters face leaving the competition. The judging panel then tries to unmask them and reveal their true identities.
The Masked Singer originated in South Korea and was a breakout success in the United States, attracting 14million viewers.
But while you might assume a huge name would host a show with such ratings potential, it seems ITV has other ideas for the UK version.
According to The Sun, bosses are giving comedian Joel Dommett his big break by hiring him for the lucrative job.
While Joel is a telly regular, this would be his first major primetime presenting gig on a main channel.
He is popular with viewers, having finished in seccond place on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2016.
“Joel has impressed head honchos at ITV,” said the newspaper’s mole. “They think he is the perfect fit for this zany show.
“They’re hoping he can help make this new series a hit, especially after The X Factor and The Voice have failed recently to bring in the big audiences.”
ITV chiefs are yet to comment on the story.
Joel is a familiar face on digital station ITV2, where he currently appears on comedy quiz Hey Tracey.
He is also expected to remain on I’m A Celebrity spin-off Extra Camp – although this year he will be joined by a brand new team.
Last week Scarlett Moffatt and Joe Swash both confirmed they are leaving the show, the latter after a decade-long run.
The Masked Singer UK will debut as an event series stripped across eight consecutive nights on ITV in early 2020.
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