Jonathan Ross has opened up about his "awkward chat" with Macy Gray following her dramatic exit from The Masked Singer.
The 64-year-old panelist revealed he was "surprised" by the American singer's reaction when she stormed off stage whilst still dressed as a giant Toad.
The incident occurred after Gray was eliminated from the hit ITV show earlier in the series than expected.
Producers had to convince the singer to return to the stage to reveal her identity to the audience, as she was reportedly "gutted" about her early departure.
"I was a little surprised at her reaction... Especially if you are a very, very, talented professional singer and you think, 'Why am I going out now?' But that's the kind of nature of it. Its a guessing game, not a talent show," Ross told The Sun.
Ross explained his attempts to salvage the situation during the awkward moment.
Macy Gray dressed up as Toad in the HoleITV "I was trying to keep her engaged with it so she wouldn't look bad. And I also wanted her to maybe leave with a smile," he told The Sun.
The panelist revealed he deliberately shifted attention away from Gray's reaction.
"So I made some jokes about Joel to try to move the focus from what had happened and away from her. But really I was just trying to make it less difficult for her," Ross said.
The dramatic moment unfolded when Gray was voted off after performing against Bear, Wolf, Pufferfish and Bush.
Jonathan Ross opened up about the awkward Macy Gray moment
Channel 4Upon hearing host Joel Dommett announce her elimination, the American singer immediately walked off stage whilst still in her Toad costume.
After returning moments later, Gray revealed her identity but made no attempt to hide her displeasure.
The singer's frustration was evident as she responded to Dommett's questions with brief, one-word answers.
Her face "like thunder" throughout the reveal segment highlighted her clear disappointment at the early exit.
The incident marked an unprecedented moment in the show's history, with a contestant visibly showing such strong disapproval of their elimination.
Speaking to BBC Radio 2's Paddy McGuinness, show host Joel Dommett later joked about the incident.
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Toad in the Hole stormed off as the announcement was ITV"You can't be vexed when you're dressed as a toad. In my professional career - I love Macy, she is incredible, great voice - but I have never witnessed anything more funny than a 6ft toad storming off," he said.
Dommett suggested contestants shouldn't be disappointed about early exits.
"If you go home early though it is a win-win situation because you get the same money and you don't have to do anything else," he explained.
The host also revealed a lighthearted detail about his own costume during the incident.
"My shorts, I suggested we make them shorter for each ad break as a joke, and they did it, and when she stormed off I was in like hot pants," he added.
