The Masked Singer fans were left in a frenzy after Pufferfish was crowned the 2025 winner on Saturday night, claiming they had ‘never heard of her’.
ITV’s singing compeтιтion sees a lineup of celebrities perform under the guise of animal costumes in a bid to keep the judges guessing who is singing under the mask.
And during Saturday’s grand finale, stage and screen actress Samantha Banks was unmasked as the winner.
Samantha’s Pufferfish fought off stiff compeтιтion from Dressed Crab and Wolf to be unveiled as the champion of the latest series, after wowing with a rendition of Britney Spears’s Baby, One More Time.
And after Gregory Porter and Marti Pellow were announced as her fellow finalists, it was Samantha, 34, who was announced as the champion.
But despite a nail-biting final and pitch-perfect performances, fans of the show flocked to X, formerly known as Twitter, to complain that they did not know who she was.
The Masked Singer fans were left in a frenzy after Pufferfish was crowned the 2025 winner on Saturday night, claiming they had ‘never heard of her’
ITV’s singing compeтιтion sees a lineup of celebrities perform under the guise of animal costumes in a bid to keep the judges guessing who is singing under the mask
One penned: ‘I haven’t a clue who she is’
‘Who? #maskedsinger. Never heard of her.’
‘I’ve watched the entire series only to have never heard of that actual winner #maskedsinger’
The actress and singer, who starred in the movie version of West End classic Les Miserables, beamed as her idenтιтy was revealed after the judges Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross, Maya Jama and guest panelist Danny Jones correctly guessed that she was masquerading as Pufferfish.
Addressing everyone after her unveiling, Samantha said: ‘I’ve had the best time. Underneath the mask, I’ve been smiling so hard – it’s hurting my cheeks! It’s been amazing.’
Samantha added that after years of playing the role of Elsa in the West End production of Frozen, she loved taking on ‘new styles’ each week and noted she had ‘lived a double life’ during the ‘crazy experience’.
Speaking in an interview after being crowned champion, Samantha said of the experience: ‘You know what this has been the most fun experience. I’ve loved this whole secret spy life and I can’t believe it’s over and I can’t believe I won?
‘I loved Pufferfish. Now it’s gone I don’t know how to be without the Pufferfish anymore!’
And during Saturday’s grand finale, stage and screen actress Samantha Banks was unmasked as the winner
The character fought off stiff compeтιтion from Dressed Crab and Wolf to be unveiled as the champion of the latest series, after wowing with a rendition of Britney’s Baby, One More Time
And after Gregory Porter and Marti Pellow were announced as her fellow finalists, it was Samantha, 34, who was announced as the champion
But despite a nail-biting final and pitch-perfect performances, fans of the show flocked to X, formerly known as Twitter, to complain that they did not know who she was
During the show, Samantha also duetted with last year’s winner, belting out a cracking version of Total Eclipse Of The Heart.
Read More Who won the Masked Singer? Pufferfish is crowned winner and idenтιтy is revealed as Samantha Barks 
On their duet, she gushed: ‘That was a real highlight for me because the minute I found out I was going to be the duet with him, creatively I’m obsessed with that.
‘Two fish falling in love, an 80s power ballad and his voice. So exciting. I loved that. I felt very lucky to sing with him. He’s very talented.’
Following an incredible career on stage and screens, Samantha detailed how being on the Masked Singer compared.
She said: ‘It’s a funny thing because as the compeтιтion goes on you really get invested, you really care.’
‘Pouring your heart and soul into it and then you have to stop, have a look at yourself in the mirror, you are dressed as fish so before you get too nervous, you have to smile.
‘It’s been so fun to get to perform inside the mask. It’s been so liberating in a way as well as you’re not you. I loved it.’
