Ben Shephard has candidly shared that he was “in the middle of a midlife crisis” while competing on the latest series of The Masked Singer. The 51-year-old ITV presenter impressed viewers as Conkers, finishing as the runner-up to Sugababes’ Keisha Buchanan, who performed as Moth.
Reflecting on his experience, Ben joked that donning the Conkers costume was “much better than getting a fast car” during his turbulent time. Speaking to the Daily Mail, he revealed the show provided an unexpected outlet amid personal challenges.
“Doing The Masked Singer, I was slap bang in the middle of a midlife crisis, but what was much better than getting a fast car was to surround myself in a beautiful Conkers costume,” Ben said.
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The competition was far from easy. He described the pressure of memorising countless songs and lyrics, recounting sleepless nights where he would silently rehearse in the bathroom just to find some relief. “I had so many flipping songs and lyrics to memorise, I would wake up in the dead of night, and I would try and go for a wee, and I would have to sing the song three times in my head before I could go,” he explained.
Ben called the experience both “traumatic” and “relentless,” yet also “brilliant” — a strange mix of intense exhaustion paired with thrilling moments of accomplishment. The filming schedule was demanding, happening every other day, which added to the exhaustion.
Turning 50 in 2024 has been a milestone that motivated Ben to set new physical challenges and focus on his health. He admitted he’s now more mindful about lifestyle choices, allowing himself some flexibility with alcohol and sugar, while striving to live life to its fullest.
He hopes his journey inspires others to push themselves, saying, “If I can do it, why can’t anybody else?”
Ben also touched on a touching moment with his This Morning co-presenter Cat Deeley, who was moved to tears after seeing him perform as Conkers. Having joined Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary on the ITV show in February 2024, Ben explained, “I was so traumatised that after every episode, I would come in in the morning shaking, and we’d have to talk it through.”
He added, “When Cat first saw Conkers — he was such a special character — she burst into tears. Those big eyes and wobbly knees. It was a testament to costume over class, because I certainly shouldn’t have been there!”
Looking back on the whole experience, Ben called it “extraordinary” and admitted that after reaching 50, he’s determined to take on more “scary things.” The Masked Singer was, in his words, his favourite challenge yet.