Masked Singer UK 2026: Professor Green Unmasked as Tea Bag, Admits 'I Can't Sing'

In a surprising turn on ITV's The Masked Singer UK, the celebrity behind the whimsical Tea Bag costume was revealed to be hit-making rapper Professor Green. His elimination on Sunday night's episode left both fans and the judging panel stunned, not least because the chart-topper promptly confessed, 'I can't sing'.

From Number One Hits to Stage Fright

The performer, whose real name is Stephen Manderson, found himself in the bottom two alongside Yak after performing a rendition of Deep Blue Something's 1996 hit 'Breakfast At Tiffany's'. This followed the elimination of BBC One's Alex Jones the previous week, making him the second contestant to leave the 2026 series.

After the unmasking, Professor Green, known for 2011 number one single 'Read All About It' with Emeli Sandé, expressed mixed feelings. 'I can't believe it. Well, I can believe it, but I can't believe it,' he said. 'I thought people would have enjoyed the Tea-Bag. It was quite scary.'

Judges Left Clueless Despite Familiarity

Adding to the surprise was the fact that the judging panel, which includes familiar faces like Davina McCall and Jonathan Ross, failed to identify him. Professor Green revealed a long-standing connection with the show's detectives. 'I know four of the panel, over the last 15 years. I've seen all of them multiple times... and none of them were anywhere near [guessing it was me],' he admitted, noting he was 'laughing behind the mask' in disbelief.

He attributed part of his challenge to attempting a singing style outside his comfort zone. 'I was trying to sing in RP [received pronunciation], I can't even talk in RP,' he quipped.

A New Chapter of Not Taking Himself Seriously

Despite the early exit, the rapper reflected positively on his Masked Singer experience. He stated it signified a welcome point in his career where he doesn't have to take himself too seriously. 'What a nice place to be in. To get to a point in my career where I can say, "Yeah, I'll do that". I probably would have done this 15 years ago to be fair,' he shared.

With Tea Bag now out of the competition, the remaining celebrities vying for the 2026 title are: