Masked singer Australia 2021: – Dannii Minogue, Jackie O and Urzilla Carlson talk tensions, troubles and rumours
Ahead of the much-anticipated return of The Masked Singer, the show’s stars talk tension, trouble and rumours around the TV hit.
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Put a few women on a TV show panel, and often there’s speculation of tension.
Think Delta Goodrem and Jessie J on The Voice, Lisa Wilkinson and Carrie Bickmore on The Project.
You’d imagine with three women – there’d be double, or rather, triple the trouble and rumours – but there’s nothing but love and admiration between Dannii Minogue, Jackie “O” Henderson and Urzila Carlson as they reunited for the third season of The Masked Singer Australia.
The bonds were forged in the thick of Melbourne’s second Covid-19 wave last year, as production continued to film and endured its own virus scare leading into the Grand Finale when a dancer tested positive.
And when the lights dimmed on the second season, and Henderson returned to Sydney, Carlson to New Zealand and Minogue remained in Melbourne, the friendship continued with daily messages pinging across the globe in their What’sApp group.
“I’ve never been part of a show before where people are feuding,” Henderson says.
“And fortunately this was no different – we genuinely love and care for each other.
“There’s nothing been written about it either. I thought, when we started, ‘Oh God, here we go, (people) will start making up stories about us. There hasn’t been. And we really do have each others’ back.”
Ask the trio what their favourite things are about each other and there’s similar themes Minogue is thoughtful and always checking on the others, Jackie O is warm and kind, Carlson is hilarious who, on the surface, doesn’t get stressed about anything, taking even her 200 days of quarantine and lockdown in her stride.
Minogue hastens to add the boys – host Osher Gunsberg and fellow judge Dave Hughes – complete the family.
“So yes, we have the sisterhood but we are supported by the boys,” she shares.
“Osher and Dave are big brothers to us and they let us be so relaxed and comfortable. We have this great girl time and they’re both a bit jealous of us, but they let us just be us.
“I think it’s just like a little microscope on how it needs to be in the world for women to feel totally themselves and be free and have these great relationships – you have to be absolutely supported by the men around you.”.
Those family feelings have spilled to the next generation with Jackie’s 10-year-old daughter Kitty and Minogue’s 11-year-old son Ethan becoming firm friends. There were initial plans to bring Urzila’s son and daughter from her home base in Henderson, New Zealand, but Sydney’s lockdown put paid to that. It also ended the gal pals’ plans for dinners out on the town and cooking up a storm in Henderson’s Sydney home.
Each of the three women are stuck in strict lockdowns, when we chat, riding the coronacoaster as Minogue terms it.
She has, however, somewhat enjoyed parts of home schooling Ethan.
“There are some positives,’ she says.
“Actually getting to go through everything with Ethan meant I could work out the spots where he needed help. It’s impossible for a teacher in class to give them all one-on-one attention.
“I guess I’m not great at decoding the school reports.”
Henderson, who’s interrupted by Kitty midway through our chat with a pressing school questions, confesses she’s not great with all of the supervision.
“We’ve got a lesson we’ve missed completely,” she explains.
“It’s a lesson on Google Maps and I don’t know how to do any of that stuff
“I’m very basic. I press a button and suddenly I’m in space, I feel like I’m no use whatsoever.”
Henderson admits she has enjoyed the quieter life the past nine weeks have brought.
“I’m able to broadcast from home and I actually quite like that,” she shares.
“I feel more relaxed, I’ve got Kitty home with me so there’s no school drop-offs or pick-ups and then rushing to work.
“I’ve been through one of my most busiest periods prior to this with The Masked Singer so I’m quite liking this bit of home time.”
Carlson might have the best homeschooling routine – the comedian tells us she’s the principal.
“So as soon as they say homeschooling I tell them I’ll be in my office and if you need to talk to me about playground equipment, make an appointment,” she laughs.
“But seriously, for the eight-year-old there’s craft and some spelling and basic maths, I can just keep up. Next year when they are Year 4 or 5, I’m tapping out. People need to get vaccinated because I cannot do that level.”
There were big plans for the friends to reunite in October to celebrate Minogue’s 50th. But her celebrations are on hold. There’ll be some Zooming if restaurants and borders remain closed.
Minogue has no hesitations about hitting the major milestone. She’s totally embracing it – although she laughs as she confesses she misses her washboard stomach.
“I am totally comfortable it is gone and never coming back though,” she shares.
“I Love J-lo but I’m not going to be twirling around on a pole and flashing my abs at 50. I just value my relax time too much so I’m not going to be pumping it in the gym every day to chase after that.”
BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS
The stars are all flying the flag for women on television in their 40s. In an industry, that usually values youth above all else, Minogue is glad she’s continuing to break down barriers.
“It’s amazing to be on TV and doing what I’m doing,” she says. “When I was a kid you didn’t see the volume of older women in movies or on TV.
“I love what it says for women. I’ve always pushed boundaries when I was on Australia’s Got Talent and I was pregnant, I’d never seen anyone on television as huge as I was.
“I love being part of the older brigade of women. It’s still fun, we’re still naughty and crazy. Just a bit older but probably none the wiser.”
The Australian debut of the hit global franchise The Masked Singer (based on a South Korean concept) was a ratings smash for Channel 10, culminating in 1.4 million people watching singer Cody Simpson unmasked and crowned the winner. It continued to hit the high notes last year with 1.68 million people tuning into see Bonnie Anderson revealed and named the winner.
There are even grander expectations for this third season – where ironically filming moved to Sydney to avoid potential Covid flare-ups in Melbourne – with hints that international superstars will join local talent.
“I was genuinely gobsmacked and I think people will be so surprised and shocked by some of them,” Henderson hints.
The first trailer featured a baby, a fish with a mullet, a kebab, a piñata, a vampire and something known only as ‘Atlantis’.
There’s already speculation surrounding who could be lurking beneath the Met Gala-worthy costumes. Among the rumoured stars are Home And Away and Pretty Little Liars star Tammin Sursok and British reality TV star Charlotte Crosby, who was in Sydney in June to promote her Nova podcast Values and Vibrators.
Henderson, Minogue and Carlson take their judging roles seriously, Minogue dubbed Inspector Minogue for her thorough research. Henderson uses the hours spent in hair and make-up to work through the clues and come up with theories.
Carlson was not as successful guessing which celeb was under those masks – only getting one right last season.
“I can tell you, mate, that I was 100 per cent better this time,” she shares.
“I would nail who was under the masks and then before the reveal the producers would replace who was under there. There was a lot of trickery.”
The bonkers light-entertainment show is exactly what Australia needs right now.
“Honestly I had so much fun — I s**t you not, this year I screamed so much I could taste blood,” Carlson exclaims.
“I was like a teenage girl at a One Direction concert.”
The Masked Singer, returns September 13, 7.30pm, Ten
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Originally published as Masked singer Australia 2021: – Dannii Minogue, Jackie O and Urzilla Carlson talk tensions, troubles and rumours
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