LIVE: Masked Singer 2020: First celebrity unmasked as Mark Philippoussis

Wow. The first celeb to be unmasked on The Masked Singer was a triple Olympian and genuine international sporting superstar.  

The second season of The Masked Singer started tonight, with the first six disguised celebrities performing and one star unmasked. 

The show was a surprise hit last year - so does that mean we can expect to see some even bigger names unmasked this season, now stars know they're signing up for a tried and tested format? 

It seems like it, if tonight's first unmasked celeb is anything to go by - none other than international sports superstar Mark Philippoussis. 

Performing tonight were Mark as the Echidna, as well as the Queen, Frillneck, Dragonfly, Puppet and Goldfish. We've got a full rundown of this season's contestants, including their clues and some guesses for each.  

Having recovered from the shame of not being able to pick Paulini correctly last season, I liveblogged the show as it aired on Ten tonight. Check out all the updates and guesses below:

Updates

9:05 pm August 10, 2020

Let's recap

So The Echidna is The Scud himself – and as a singer, he certainly makes a great tennis player. What about the other five Masked Singers who performed tonight? Let me rank them in order of how sure I am about their real identities:

The Queen is definitely Kate Miller-Heidke

I'm 99% sure the Dragonfly is Sophie Monk

The Goldfish is Christine Anu

The Frillneck is Eddie Perfect

The Puppet is (probably) Shaun Micallef

That's it from me tonight folks, back to my bedroom Bardot shrine – but join me tomorrow night to liveblog The Masked Singer's second episode, with six more celebs on offer.

8:50 pm August 10, 2020

And the first unmasked celebrity is...

The echidna is Mark Philippoussis! The triple-Olympian and international sporting superstar admits he's a bit "bummed" to be leaving so early.

I've been shady about the calibre of celebs on this show before, but that was a pretty big get. Off to a good start, Masked Singer.

8:45 pm August 10, 2020

I really cannot stress how much the dragonfly is Sophie Monk

Thanks for pointing this out, @bec287 on Twitter: Even Sophie's former Bardot bandmate Tiffani Wood knows it's Soph in that Dragonfly costume. She'd know! From Tiff's Instagram Stories:

8:42 pm August 10, 2020

So who is frillneck?

Those clues are tricky… complaining about 'Tall Poppy Syndrome?' Could be literally any Australian celebrity from the past 30 years.

A LOT of people on social media are pinning this one on musical theatre and TV star Eddie Perfect – and actually, I hear it (sorry for saying you sounded 'serviceable', Eddie).

To pick just a couple of clues: Perfect was due to star in the musical 9 To 5 before the pandemic struck ("I'm not someone who works 9 to 5…"). He wrote and starred in the Shane Warne musical – is there any taller poppy?

8:37 pm August 10, 2020

And finally, the frillneck

"I'm Frillneck because under pressure I can put on a real show. I've waited a long time to get where I am. A lot of work goes on behind the scenes with the puppet masters. I'm not someone who works 9 to 5. I feel for people who have to struggle all their lives. I know what it's like to work and be savaged by those you serve. I just want everyone to get a sporting chance. But knocking down tall poppies can be fun too. I'm known for my opinions. When I have something to say, you'll know it."

OK big Gina Liano vibes from that final line – but sadly it's probs not her. The Frillneck's serviceable rendition of Jessie J's Bang Bang actually sounds quite Rob Mills – is he back for a second season? Did he ever actually leave the studio?

8:30 pm August 10, 2020

It's totes Sophie Monk

I'm convinced. Even the song choice: Cyndi Lauper's True Colours, which Kasey Chambers covered with great success. Bardot fans eager for Monk to reignite her musical career will know the closest she's gotten in recent years is duetting with good friend Chambers.

Oh god, now we have to endure Jackie O – Monk's friend of over 20 years who actually picked her to be in Bardot – pretending she hasn't immediately clocked her, don't we?

8:25 pm August 10, 2020

It's Dragonfly's turn

Her clues: "Why am I the Dragonfly? Because I'm always on the move. Stopping briefly… ..then moving on again. But that is my reality. Am I a triple threat? Quadruple? Quintuple? Dragonflies aren't a threat to anybody.

I just want the world to be a kinder place. It can be hard to have my voice heard above the crowd. But I've always found a way. Being well-known isn't always wonderful. I've had my share of tumbles in life. And they can be embarrassing, low blows. But you just have to laugh and move on. After all, it's not a disaster, like the Titanic. What do I want to be when I grow up? I don't know if dragonflies ever grow up."

OMG guys it's totally the old lady from Titanic!!!

Nope. It's Sophie Monk. I think. I haven't stanned Bardot for 20-odd years without being able to recognize Sophie Monk's singing voice, even if she turned her back on her music career after #35 hit album Calendar Girl.

8:16 pm August 10, 2020

Some echidna guesses

Mick Fanning, Nick Kyrgios, Mark Philippoussis, Bernard Tomic are all popular guesses on Twitter. Consider this: Philippoussis appeared as the bachelor on reality dating show Age of Love back in 2007, so at least we know he wouldn't dismiss dressing up as a giant singing echidna as beneath him (this also fits with the "I wore my heart on my sleeve" clue).

8:13 pm August 10, 2020

A shaky echidna

Clues: "Outsiders see me as spiky, a bit difficult to handle, and maybe I was… ..once. But the spikes were only ever there for my protection. Music is always with me, but my favourite might surprise you. But I took the hits headfirst, and I hit back even harder. I've ridden the ups and downs of my career, with big sets and upsets always on the horizon.

But it's not how many times you fall. It's how many times you get up. My heart may be too big, and I wore it on my sleeve. In the end, I just wanted lovin', and who could blame me?"

The echidna sings George Michael's Faith, and it's… definitely the weakest vocal performance of the night so far. Big 'NRL player doing drunken karaoke' vibes. I'm stumped!

8:08 pm August 10, 2020

It's the Queen's turn

Oh hi, Kate Miller-Heidke!

Her clues: "I desire to rule the world. My glorious stature doesn't register in my humble beginnings. I was expected to be known by my Italian works, but turned away and followed my own royal path by popular demand. I remember the cold times as a child. And yet I was never cool.

Yes, I have known the highs and the lows, sometimes at the same time. 13 times I've been a bridesmaid, but never the bride. Now it's my turn. I'm already a queen."

After these clues, Kate Miller-Heidke performs The Weeknd's Blinding Lights very Kate Miller Heidke-ly.

Let's break down a couple of these clues: Miller-Heidke trained as an opera singer (her "Italian works"), but abandoned that for pop.

The bridesmaid / bride clue? She wrote the songs for the musical version of Muriel's Wedding.

And there's that unmistakable voice. Or, as Dannii guesses, it could be "one of the Veronicas…?" (spoiler: It's not.)