Joel Dommett reveals the awkward blunder he made when Maya Jama joined The Masked Singer panel – as the third season is set to kick off

Joel Dommett has revealed the awkward blunder he made when Maya Jama first joined the judging panel on The Masked Singer.

The show host, 39, said viewers should brace themselves for ‘twists and turns’ as the new series of episodes are set to air, adding that he even saw one contestant storm off the stage.

Series three, which will air on Saturday, January, 4, 2025 at 7pm on ITV1, will also be the first time fans see Maya’s debut as a panelist on the show.

Opening up on what it was like to film with the Love Island host, 30, Joel told The Sun he made one gaffe that made him ‘feel really bad’.

Explaining that he doesn’t really keep up with gossip, the presenter explained: ‘I remember, during the recording, I kept on singing a Stormzy song and then I felt really bad about it.

‘I’ve got this song in my head, I can’t stop singing it, then someone sort of dragged me aside and said, ‘That’s someone that just broke up’.

Joel Dommett has revealed the awkward blunder he made when Maya Jama first joined the judging panel on The Masked Singer

Opening up on what it was like to film with Maya, Joel admitted he made one gaffe that made him ‘feel bad’ (Maya pictured with co-judges Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross, and Mo Gilligan)

‘And I was like, ‘Arrgh, I’m the worst human being ever’, but Maya’s lovely and just laughed it off.’

Stormzy and Maya announced their shock split in July 2024 after taking to Instagram with a joint statement stating: ‘We fell madly in love in 2014, broke up in 2019, and the spent five years manoeuvring life apart.

They confirmed the breakup was ‘final’ after previously going their separate ways following a five year relationship in 2019 and reconnecting in August 2023.

While it was thought the couple split after disagreements over when to settle down, with Stormzy more of a homeboy and Maya more career driven, last month she confirmed this wasn’t the case.

After photos emerged of the rapper, 31, his new girlfriend Victoria Monet, Maya took to Instagram to take the opportunity to say that the narrative ‘that I don’t want to settle down and have kids is a lieeeee.’

It had been reported that the former couple broke up because Maya was keen to focus on her career instead of settle down with the ‘homebody’ rapper.

She has since sparked romance rumours with Manchester City star Ruben Dias after the pair were pictured celebrating the New Year together in Ibiza.

And a recent Instagram post from Dias’ New Year celebrations has further fuelled speculation that they are dating.

The compilation of 11 pictures included a snap of two people gazing at a sunset with their backs to the camera and their faces obscured, though they two appear to be a man and a woman – and fans think it’s Maya.

Explaining that he doesn’t really keep up with gossip, the presenter explained: ‘I remember, during the recording, I kept on singing a Stormzy song and then I felt really bad about it’

Stormzy and Maya announced their shock split in July 2024 and confirmed the breakup was ‘final’ after reconnecting in August of last year (pictured in June)

She has since sparked romance rumours with Manchester City star Ruben Dias after the pair were pictured celebrating the New Year together in Ibiza

Although she didn’t post any snaps with the football star to celebrate the New Year, Maya did post an Instagram story to share her excitement to be joining The Masked Singer.

She reposted a picture of herself on the show alongside Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross, and Mo Gilligan.

Maya penned in the caption: ‘My first episode of The Masked Singer tomorrow,’ alongside a starstuck emoji.

It comes after Joel revealed the return of the Masked Singer ‘has got weirder’ as he said new show judge Maya ‘lives a really ridiculous life’.

Speaking to Principle Magazine, Joel said: ‘It’s getting weirder. I think it’s getting odder and odder. And if you thought it was weird before, it’s getting even more strange. And also we’re getting more confident as a production.

‘We’re putting in more twists and turns and interesting elements to it that you wouldn’t necessarily expect with the format.

‘It’s just fun and we’re really enjoying it, but production certainly is letting me do pretty much whatever I want.’

Joel also revealed that any ‘mad idea’ he gets, production has allowed him to go through with it.

The show has seemed to have ruffled some feathers this year, as Joel revealed that one character even stormed off after they were voted off.

And a recent Instagram post from Dias’ New Year celebrations has further fuelled speculation that they are dating

Although she didn’t post any snaps with the football star in the New Year, Maya did post an Instagram story to share her excitement to be joining The Masked Singer (pictured with Joel)

He quipped: ‘There is an amazing reveal in this series that is gonna be my favorite reveal forever, I think. One of the characters gets voted off and they are really not happy about it. Like genuinely.

‘They were really upset that they did not win it. There’s something hilarious about seeing someone in a massive costume storm off.

‘What they’re gonna show of it, I have no idea. But even if they don’t show it, I know, and that’s amazing.

He also revealed that Maya’s time on the show had been plain sailing, something which he credits to her already ‘mad life’ spent on private yachts and planes.

‘She’s great. She fit right in immediately. It’s a weird show to come in on. When you’re there in the flesh, it’s so hard. It can flummox a lot of people but she was brilliant. She took it all in her stride. That’s the thing.

‘Maya Jama lives a mad life with lots of private yachts and planes and rappers. She lives a really ridiculous life. She’s slotted into this perfectly.

‘If anything, when she’s sat behind the panel watching a massive version of me dancing and singing ‘Hello’ from Lionel Richie, she’s just like, ‘Oh, this is more normal than my ridiculous life’.’

And it is not just Maya who is making her debut as Joel revealed there would also be a ‘Giant Joel’ costume that is ‘offensive’ and would ‘scare children.’

Joel revealed that Maya’s time on the show had been plain sailing, something which he credits to her already ‘mad life’ spent on private yachts and planes

Joel said: ‘My favourite costume this year is Giant Joel. It’s just unbelievable. I can’t help but find it offensive at the same time.

‘There is grey hair there. The nose is massive. The teeth are obviously absolutely huge, and the grin is petrifying. It would scare children.’

Joel will be returning as the host of the hit show, which first appeared on screens in 2020 and sees celebrities sing in disguise before the guessing begins.

Since then, it has reached a staggering 37 million viewers who have tuned in to guess who is hiding behind the mask.

This year’s cast follows in the footsteps of an array of superstars, including Dionne Warwick, NeYo, Richie Sambora, Michael Owen, Daisy May Cooper, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Sue Perkins, Glenn Hoddle, Pat Cash, Lorraine Kelly, Jason Manford, Jake Shears, Sir Lenny Henry, Joss Stone and more.

Katie Rawcliffe, Head of Entertainment & Daytime Commissioning, ITV said, ‘The Masked Singer is back and promises to kick off 2025 with a bang.

‘TV’s favourite guessing game welcomes the sensational Maya Jama who will be joining our expert detectives, Jonathan Ross, Davina McCall and Mo Gilligan all alongside Joel Dommett. We can’t wait.’

Daniel Nettleton and Derek McLean, Co-Founders of Bandicoot TV said, ‘When we decided to add a bombshell to the panel, we knew we need not look any further than Maya.’