THE Masked Singer viewers are convinced Wolf is a chart topping pop star who has already been on TWO TV talent shows.
They’ve pounced on a big name after hunting for answers while tuning into the wacky ITV show.
Wolf has so far managed to avoid the clutches of the panel and viewers[/caption]
The character’s VT clues were colourful umbrellas, a book of bedtime stories and wool[/caption]
Stars floated so far by The Masked Singer panel are Richard E Grant, Tony Hadley, Robert Lindsay and Adam Sandler.
Now a new name has been thrown in the hat – and neither Mo Gilligan, Maya Jama, Davina McCall or Jonatha Ross have thought of it.
He is a huge pop star who was part of one of the biggest bands of the noughties and is used to performing to sell-out crowds around the country.
Sharing his name on Digital Spy’s chat forum, one viewer shared: “It’s Kevin Simm from Liberty X (the 5 from ‘Popstars’ who didn’t get into Hear’Say all those years ago), who won The Voice’?”
Kevin, from Chorley, Lancashire, rose to fame in Liberty X alongside Michelle Heaton, Tony Lundon, Jessica Taylor and Kelli Young.
The group – most famous for UK No 1 Just A Little Bit – split in 2007 and Kevin’s solo career didn’t go to plan.
To support his wife Laura and two children Charlie, 14, and Oliver, 12, the self-confessed “grafter” had tried a number of normal jobs including working as an electrician, a fencer and a wedding photographer between occasional singing gigs.
Kevin, now 45, told The Sun last year: “When Liberty X finished I had no idea what to do. I didn’t know how to get gigs. It was strange coming out of a big pop group and having to start again.
“I was singing in pubs and clubs for £150 a gig but there wasn’t a lot of work going around and typically it was only Friday or Saturday night.
“Then sometimes I’d get a call the night before saying the gig was cancelled and that’s half of your income for the week gone.
“I ended up trying to work as an electrician, a fencer, and a wedding photographer because I got frustrated with the insecurity of the singing.
“I thought, ‘Why not try some other things where you know you will get paid at the end of the week’. I had a family so it was doubly important to put food on the table.
“If I was good enough at them, I would have continued but I’m not a skilled worker and knew I would never be at that level where I was happy.”
Between performing with the group, Kevin found it hard to carve out a career as a singer and would regularly “put flyers up” and “call pubs” to see if they wanted to book him in.
He recalled: “It was embarrassing and a bit demeaning going around saying I’m available for bookings but I had to suck it up and swallow my pride.
“When you’re putting flyers through pub doors, you’re kind of kneecapping yourself as far as bargaining power because they know how desperate you are. It was a strange time.
The Masked Singer’s clues for Wolf
- Colourful umbrellas, a book of bedtime stories and wool appeared in their VT
- “Some of the guesses the panel produced last week gave me the willies, but nobody puts this wolf in a corner.”
- “Am I an imposter, a wolf in sheep’s clothing? I may be mysterious, but as if I’d stoop so low.”
- “I could read my entire life story to you, but it’s no fairy tale.”
- “Lone wolf or running with the pack, the wolf has done it all.”
- “I’ve joined forces with others in the past, some who have a very particular set of skills, skills they have acquired over a very long career.”
“There were some people who told me, ‘We didn’t know if you could sing and thought it would be a good laugh.’
“They just booked me because I was ‘Kevin from Liberty X’ and thought it would be hilarious if I was tone-deaf and couldn’t sing.”
It was those struggles and a confidence boost from Liberty X’s brief reunion tour which led Kevin to apply for The Voice in 2016.
He went on to win the talent contest when Ricky Wilson saved him from elimination by using his ‘steal card’.
NEW BAND
In late 2018, Kevin’s fortunes changed dramatically again when he was contacted by the group Wet Wet Wet, who were looking for a new lead singer after the departure of Marti Pellow.
Kevin said: “They asked me to meet up with them and sing some of their songs. I literally got a call from them one hour later asking if I’d join the band.
“I was asked by them because the wife of [bandmate] Neil Mitchell saw me on The Voice. So really I have to be grateful to the show for that.”
Kevin admitted playing with Wet Wet Wet – who are back on tour in January – is “massively different” from his time with Liberty X.
He explained: “The buck stops with me, if I lose my voice I’m kind of buggered whereas with Liberty X someone else could sing my parts or we could just mime.”
Kevin admits he is “very grateful” for all that singing has given him and feels his hard work has “finally paid off”.
He said: “I loved my time in Liberty X and Wet Wet Wet has been an amazing experience – I guess there are not many people who get to be in two big bands in their lifetime. I’m very lucky.
“I’m not a big name and I’m not in the charts but I have been able to make a living singing since I left school and that’s not a bad place to be.”
Kevin from Liberty X tried to go solo[/caption]
WET WET WET PROMO PIC[/caption]
