Entertainment

Pufferfish crowned winner of The Masked Singer 2025

Before their identities were revealed, the finalists were joined by past contestants to sing duets.

Joel Dommett opened the final of the series
Joel Dommett opened the final of the series (Scott Garfitt/PA)
By Hannah Roberts, PA Entertainment Reporter

Pufferfish has been crowned winner of The Masked Singer 2025.

The triumphant celebrity, who had masked their identity in an elaborate costume, was revealed to be musical theatre star and Les Miserables actress Samantha Barks in the final of the ITV1 show.

Barks, 34, who played Elsa in West End musical Frozen last year, said: “I’ve had the best time, I really have had the best time.

“Underneath the mask I’ve been smiling so hard it’s hurting my cheeks. It’s been amazing.

“Thank you all so much for your lovely comments.”

Later, in a post to Instagram, she added: “The Pufferfish is out the bag!!!

“Thank you so much to everyone at the Masked Singer @itv for being so kind and making it such a fabulous experience.

“I have loved watching everyone playing along and guessing!!”.

The runner-up, Dressed Crab, was Grammy award-winning singer Gregory Porter, who said the show “was just straight-up fun”.

The first finalist to have their identity revealed was Scottish singer Marti Pellow, the former lead singer of pop group Wet Wet Wet.

Pellow, who had been dressed as Wolf, said: “I’ve had a fantastic time. It’s just been an incredible experience for me.”

TV presenter and comedian Joel Dommett opened the final of the series with a rendition of Blondie’s One Way Or Another before introducing panellists Jonathan Ross, Maya Jama, Davina McCall and Danny Jones – who won the show last year as Piranha.

In the first set of performances Wolf sang Poker Face by Lady Gaga while Pufferfish sang Baby One More Time by Britney Spears.

Panellist Jones guessed the singer behind the fish mask could be singer Perrie Edwards, while Ross thought it could be Nicole Scherzinger.

Elsewhere, Dressed Crab impressed with a performance of Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers, which Dommett said was “beautiful”.

The finalists were also joined by past contestants to sing duets.

Knitting (Claire Richards) and Wolf sang With You I’m Born Again, famously performed by Billy Preston and Syreeta Wright, while Pufferfish sang Bonnie Tyler’s Total Eclipse of the Heart with Piranha (Jones).

Porter, in his Dressed Crab costume, was joined by Airfryer (Keala Settle) and they performed Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, as sung by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell.

Barks’ final performance was One Night Only from the musical Dreamgirls.