MACY GRAY BREAKS SILENCE ON MASKED SINGER MELTDOWN: “IT WASN’T FUN”

Macy Gray has finally spoken out about her dramatic exit from The Masked Singer UK, revealing what really happened behind the scenes after she famously stormed off stage before her unmasking earlier this year.

The Grammy-winning singer, known for her 1999 hit I Try, left viewers stunned in January when she walked off the ITV set moments before host Joel Dommett revealed her identity as “Toad in the Hole.” The outburst came after Macy found out she had lost the audience vote to Bear, who was later unmasked as British rapper Example.

Now, Macy has broken her silence, admitting that she felt “insulted” by the result and that her experience on the show was “not fun” from start to finish.

“Yes, I’m up there singing my heart out, as Toad in the Hol, and some guy comes around, and they picked the guy, and the guy couldn’t even sing,” she told The Sun. “Yes, what am I doing here?”

The 57-year-old star didn’t hold back when describing her frustration, adding:

“I was so offended. I didn’t expect to win, but to go out to someone who doesn’t sing for a living? It just didn’t feel right.”

The I Try hitmaker stunned viewers in January when she stormed off stage before host Joel Dommett could reveal her identity, after discovering she was in the bottom two Credit: ITV

Behind the scenes, it seems the drama went far deeper than viewers realised. Although the show aired footage of Macy returning to the stage moments after her walk-off, insiders have since revealed that it took more than an hour to calm her down and convince her to complete the episode.

A whistleblower from the production told the paper:

“This has never happened on The Masked Singer before. When Macy stormed off stage, everyone was frozen in shock. She was furious. As soon as she reached backstage, crew members removed her mask so they could talk her down.”

According to reports, ITV producers were blindsided by her reaction, especially as Macy had recently competed on the US version of The Masked Singer, where she made it all the way to the final.

The source added:

“Macy was totally blindsided by how quickly she was voted off in the UK version. She thought her vocals would carry her further in the competition, and to lose to a rapper, even one as popular as Example, felt like an insult.”

Example, real name Elliot Gleave, has not publicly commented on Macy’s remarks, though fans of the show have taken to social media to defend both artists. Some sided with Macy, saying her performance “deserved more recognition,” while others argued that the show is “about entertainment, not just singing.”

Despite the controversy, Macy says she’s moved on, but hinted that she won’t be signing up for any more reality competitions anytime soon.

The star admitted she was “so offended” that Example (pictured here as the Bear with Joel Dommett) was allowed to stay in the competition over her, describing her experience on the show as “not fun.” – Credit: ITV

“It just wasn’t fun,” she admitted. “I love the UK, I really do, but I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I thought it would be light-hearted, it turned into something else.”

The singer, who recently wrapped up a European tour, is now focusing on new music and has teased plans for a 2026 album that will see her return to her soulful roots.

“Music is where I belong,” she added. “No masks, no costumes, just me.”