The Masked Singer panellist Dave Hughes opens up about filming of the finale being canned
The core cast members of the Masked Singer have all tested negative for coronavirus after a virus scare sent production into shutdown just hours before the finale was due to be filmed.
Entertainment
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The Masked Singer panellist Dave Hughes has opened up about the coronavirus outbreak on set and revealed he’s still waiting for an update on how the finale will go ahead after filming was suspended.
The comedian said he had just found out his test results for the virus had come back clear after he and the rest of the cast and crew were forced to isolate due to several confirmed cases on the set.
Network 10 has confirmed all the core cast of The Masked Singer have returned negative test results.
Host Osher Gunsberg and judges Dannii Minogue, Dave Hughes, Urzila Carlson and Jackie O all returned negative tests.
“Everyone did all the protocols and it still happened. Look, it’s a tough one,” Hughes told The Hot Breakfast on Triple M.
“In good news, the tests have been coming through from the panellists on The Masked Singer and we’re all testing negative. The results have just come through.
“We’re hoping everyone else tests negative so we can get back to production and [Millionaire] Hot Seat can get back to production too.”
The 49-year-old said he and the other panellists were in the studio, getting ready to film the finale, when they found out shooting was suspended.
The TV star admitted that if all the crew would have to continue to isolate after receiving negative test results, it would make it difficult to finish the series.
“I don’t know about the two weeks. If it is two weeks, it’s going to make it real tough to get this finale finished,” he said.
“We were last shooting day, I walked into the makeup room where the girls were getting their makeup done and I said ‘Can you believe it? We got through to the end.’
“Someone said they should lock the doors so we could complete it. Just 15 minutes later we got the phone call.
He added:“They’re all blaming me for putting a [curse] on the whole thing.
“We have three weeks of episodes in the can but I don’t know what [we’ll do].
“We’re all hanging around and all 12 singers are hanging around to see what will happen.”
Host Osher Gunsberg said all the judges were supporting each other.
“We’re all away from our families, all away from our kids. We’re all getting around Jackie as much as we can. That group chat with the panel is probably the most entertaining group chat. We are all there to support each other,’’ he told Nova radio.
“I’m really proud of the production, they have offered all kinds of assistance and they said listen there’s a psych if you want to talk to one. I didn’t think I needed one but... I’d go see a mechanic if my car wasn’t working properly and my brain is a bit weird at the moment and I’m going to do something about this, I can’t fix it myself.”
MILLIONARIE HOT SEAT FILMING HALTED
Millionaire Hot Seat presenter Eddie McGuire says he agrees with the Victorian government’s decision to shut down filming on the show due to COVID-19 fears after an outbreak on The Masked Singer set.
Three episodes of the quiz show were set to be filmed this week but now shooting has been suspended until after stage four restrictions are lifted.
The set was closed on Sunday, with new episodes of the quiz show were to take place from Monday.
Both shows film at the Docklands, and despite being filmed at separate studios, they do share facilities.
Meanwhile, The Masked Singer judge Jackie O revealed on Monday morning that she had tested negative to the virus.
“There were some shared facilities but the Victorian government has put a stop to that now,’’ a Channel 9 spokesman told the Herald Sun.
“Anything that wasn’t already in production by midnight, August 6, was not able to continue and that includes things that were on hiatus.
McGuire said that while Millionaire Hot Seat is filmed in a separate studio to The Masked Singer, there is “a bit of a spill over” with the crew.
“It was all set up, we had worked on a set, there was no audience, there was going to be a perspex screen between me and the contestant,” the game show host said while presenting The Hot Breakfast on Triple M.
“It was all set up and ticked off and we were ready to go.
“My understanding is, they were going for the grand final and only one dancer, who unfortunately had COVID-19 … she felt crook on Friday and as a result of that we believe there are seven other people who have contracted it.
“They’ve shut the place down. It’s not even in the studio we’re in, it’s in the next studio but there is a bit of spill over so the Victorian government, in their wisdom — and I agree with them — have shut the whole place down.
McGuire said he initially thought the Docklands studio would only be shut down for a day or so for cleaning after the outbreak was detected.
“It went like this: ‘Looks like we can’t do Monday so we’ll do Tuesday and Friday and the people who were supposed to be contestants on Monday to come in next Monday,” he said
“By the time I came from the footy, it was off and now it’s been struck off until the end of stage four restrictions, which is September 13.
The TV personality said filming for The Masked Singer could go interstate after the outbreak.
“The hardest thing of course is the only thing you can do in this situation is to go interstate,” he said.
“We’ve seen The Chase go interstate and there have already been a couple of others. You wonder if this last one of The Masked Singer will go interstate because they have to get the final somehow.”
Hot Seat has many episodes up its sleeve to roll out, but is hoping to resume when Melbourne comes out of stage 4 on September 14.
McGuire said that the same dance crew was supposed to appear on golf series Holey Moley, which is filmed in Queensland.