The mythical character is one of only five left in this latest season.
The Masked Singer fans are divided on the identity of Phoenix, with recent speculation of Doctor Who star David Tennant being overruled by suggestions of a frontman from a famous British rock band.
Kaiser Chiefs vocalist and percussionist Ricky Wilson is an emerging favourite to be revealed as the fiery character, with several clues setting fans on his trail.
Several of them voiced their theory in response to a RadioTimes.com poll asking who Phoenix could be, which David Tennant won in a landslide with 63 percent of the vote share when readers were given the options of the judges’ selections.
Many remain unconvinced that the Tenth/Fourteenth Doctor is hiding underneath the costume, however, with The Voice UK judge Wilson being the leading alternative guess.
Eagle-eyed viewers spotted sticks of rock in the background of his introduction, which could allude to the 2012 compilation album Souvenir, which featured the same popular candy treat.
References to football have also been noted as relevant, with Kaiser Chiefs fans remembering that the band itself took its name from South Africa’s regional team Kaizer Chiefs FC.
Fans have also interpreted mentions of magic as eluding to Wilson’s loose involvement in the Harry Potter film franchise, while a nod to the sci-fi story War of the Worlds could point to his role in Jeff Wayne’s famous stage musical.
The latest member of The Masked Singer 2023 line-up to be unveiled was comedian Daisy May Cooper, who made reference to Phoenix during her exit chat with presenter Joel Dommett.
“It’s the best job I’ve ever done but near the end I was absolutely exhausted. I was gutted to leave because I really fancied the Phoenix – so fit,” she said.
Now, only five contestants remain with Phoenix and their competitors Jellyfish, Fawn, Jacket Potato and Rhino.
The Masked Singer continues on ITV at 7pm on Saturday 11th February 2023. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on.
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