panda bear masked singer© Photo: ITV

The Masked Singer: this major hint has fans convinced they've worked out Panda Bear

Saturday's episode saw the fifth celebrity to be revealed

Senior Features Writer
January 24, 2022

The Masked Singer is getting more and more interesting as the weeks go on and the outlandish costumes reveal hints about their indentiy.

MORE: The Masked Singer unveils fifth famous face as Poodle is unmasked - find out here

But it seems some major clues from Saturday's fifth episode in the new series has fans convinced they know the famous face hiding behind the Panda Bear mask.

WATCH: Davina McCall celebrates daughter Tilly's big news

When Panda was introduced via a VT on screen, the mystery celebrity was sure to drop more clues for those watching to crack. But there were some they mentioned in particular which stood out to those watching at home. 

The Bear told the camera that their career had gone into a "new direction" as well as holding a sign up which read: "I love you Bear-y much," perhaps a nod to their costume. This lead fans to believe Panda is Cheryl!

"Sometimes you find a fork in the road and you make a choice to explore another avenue. You thought you were going in one direction, but you find yourself going another, and that's exciting," they said.

MORE: Who has been revealed on The Masked Singer so far?

MORE: Davina McCall stuns in gorgeous blue dress on The Masked Singer

© Photo: ITV

Who do you think Panda Bear is?

The hints had plenty of fans convinced that the former Girls Aloud is behind the mask! Many picked up on the "direction" clues, which could be a nod to her relationship with One Direction star Liam Payne, with whom she shares a son, Bear.

Her son's name would also explain her choice of costume, and her references to Bears in the VT. During episode five, Panda Bear even went on to sing the One Direction track, The Story of my Life.

One person wrote on Twitter: "Surely Panda is Cheryl Cole? Son called Bear, sang One Direction and the father of her child is in One Direction, she was a judge on X Factor!" Another echoed this, adding: "Is Panda Cheryl Cole? Doesn't sound like her but the One Direction clues..."

© Photo: ITV

Tom Chaplin was Poodle!

A third also thought Cheryl could also be the true identity: "It's Cheryl, 100%. Moves in One Direction, sang Story Of My Life, she's a Panda which is a bear, she held up a sign saying 'I love you Bear-y much', that was to her and Liam Payne's son Bear. 100% Cheryl."

Meanwhile, episode five saw the Poodle mask sent home after being voted out by the panel and studio audience. It then transpired that singer and Keane frontman Tom Chaplin was behind the mask all along. 

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