The Masked Singer final ratings down 1.5 million viewers from last year

ITV’s musical celebrity guessing game ended on Saturday night (18 February)

The final of The Masked Singer attracted 1.5 million fewer viewers than last year’s concluding episode.

ITV’s musical celebrity guessing game drew to a close on Saturday (18 February).

Beating the characters Fawn and Phoenix to the top spot, Rhino was crowned the winner and was unmasked as Busted and Fightstar singer Charlie Simpson.

According to figures released on Sunday (19 February), the final was watched by an average of 4.8 million viewers.

Compared to the 2022 final, which had an average audience of 6.3 million, this year’s viewership is down 1.5 million.

This marks the second dip in finale viewers in a row, after the 2021 final episode had an average of 8.6 million viewers tune in.

However, viewing figures were generally higher during the first two national lockdowns.

According to ITV, Saturday’s final had a peak of 5.7 million viewers.

Ahead of Charlie Simpson’s reveal, he sang “Before You Go” by Lewis Capaldi, “Try” by P!nk and a duet of Labrinth’s “Beneath Your Beautiful” with former contestant Gabrielle, dressed in her Harlequin costume.

Rhino on The Masked Singer (ITV)

Later on Saturday, he shared a video on Instagram which showed him removing a different rhino mask before he sang “Use Somebody” by Kings Of Leon.

In his caption for the video, he wrote: “Well this has been a hard secret to keep. Reading all of your comments each week has been awesome.”

The “Year 3000” vocalist then announced that as a result of the enthusiasm for his performances, he will release an EP of some of the songs he sang named Kifaru – the Swahili word for Rhino.

Fawn finished in third place and was revealed as All Saints star Natalie Appleton.

Phoenix was the competition’s runner-up and was unmasked as singer-songwriter and Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson.

Additional reporting by PA