Joel Dommett has told how he was hounded by an unlikely fan in his latest telly show – a frisky pooch that wanted to devour him.
The Masked Singer favourite was making mischief dressed up as a dog toy on ITV’s Celebrity Sabotage when the Great Dane pounced.
And recalling his terror as the oversized pet tried to use him as a plaything, he dramatically declared: “I nearly died!”
Joel’s encounter came as he joined fellow stars Sam Thompson and GK Barry, of I’m A Celebrity fame, plus Loose Women panellist Judi Love, pranking members of the public to win them cash prizes.
In the new show, the celebs turn “saboteurs” and target hopefuls who believe they are taking part in genuine ITV game shows — which are actually completely made up.
TV’s husband and wife team Matt and Emma Willis host a spoof series called Couple Goals; former Dragons’ Den investor Sara Davies fronts The Applicant, based on The Apprentice; and Rylan Clark presents The Backstabs, inspired by The Traitors.
The sabs’ mission is to disrupt contestants’ success on those fake shows.
The more pranks they pull off undetected, the more money goes into the prize pot, which is shared among contestants at the end of the episode.
Describing one traumatising stunt, Joel said: “There was a Great Dane and I was dressed as dog toys.
“It’s genuinely one of the most frightening moments of my life. GK was there trying to distract the owner while I was dressed as dog toys, trying to get a collar off the dog without being noticed.
“The dog had a wig on! I was dressed as dog toys. Obviously, the dog just wanted to eat me. I nearly died!”
It’s one of the many wacky moments fans can expect from the series, a modern take on Nineties prank show Beadle’s About — which saw Jeremy Beadle playing practical jokes on the unsuspecting public.
Celebrity Sabotage is one of ITV’s most ambitious shows ever. Joel said: “It is absolute madness.
“It’s honestly the most I’ve laughed in ages.”
Sounds like mayhem really is the name of the game.
- Celebrity Sabotage starts on Saturday at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
Here are saboteurs GK, Joel, Judi and Sam spying on the poor contestants from their high-tech Mission HQ.
Like Big Brother, they have eyes and ears everywhere – and their impressive-looking control centre would not seem at all out of place on a movie set.
The drama then peaks as they creep secretly on set to disrupt the poor contestants’ best endeavours in their various fake reality shows. So did Joel channel movie secret agent Ethan Hunt, played by Tom Cruise in the Mission: Impossible films?
“I would say less Tom Cruise and more like security at Tesco,” he said with a laugh.
Treat’s a dirty trick
A spa “treat” ended up anything but – when unsuspecting contestants had their faces painted bright green.
They couldn’t hide their displeasure over the facemask fiasco.
But when later asked if this was a prank too far, GK was unrepentant.
The podcaster said: “I’m the wrong person to ask. I never think we’ve gone far enough. That’s the funniest thing I had ever seen because people started to get a bit aggy.
“They’re starting to get p***ed off and that’s when it gets incredible.”
The victims were employees from travel company Tui on a corporate away day.
Joel said of the show segment: “That’s cut down to, like, three minutes. Imagine that for an hour, them scrubbing their faces. I was just like, ‘It’s not coming off – oh God!’. It’s just escalating.”
Judi said: “The ones who are actually doing the facemasks, they’re trying to act calm and not get everyone agitated, but it was terrible.”
Sam added of the poor contestants: “They were fuming.”
Fancy guess capers
The disguises on Celebrity Sabotage are so good that they give Joel’s other show, The Masked Singer, a run for its money.
Just ask host Joel, who spent much of filming wearing funny costumes in an attempt to go incognito.
“I was a cleaner with a beard and wig in one prank, I dressed up in a green morph suit when I was being a bush, I dressed up as Cupid, I dressed up as a chair, which was surreal but weirdly fun,” he said.
“So some might say that the costumes are even more elaborate than they are on The Masked Singer!”
Harry in no hurry
Celebrities joining in the fun and games as guest saboteurs include comic Jo Brand, Love Islander Olivia Attwood and former football boss Harry Redknapp.
Joel says Harry was a great sport – even if he did spend a lot of time failing to grasp the game in hand, and instead watching his beloved horseracing.
“By the end of the week it took to film the episode, I still don’t think he understood what show he was on,” chuckled Joel.
“He would be doing a scene, and we’d all be in his ear trying to direct him what to do. But at the same time, he’s just watching the horses on his phone. Oh God, I love him so much.
“He would say anything that we would say in his ear. Anything.”
Meanwhile, GK said Jo was a “rebel” who refused to obey the rules. And poor Olivia was locked in a car boot – despite being claustrophobic.
Before it’s even hit screens, the team are already thinking about series two. Sam said: “I think there’s so much you can do, right? You can go abroad, like they do with First Dates.” GK agreed: “It doesn’t have to be the same sort of thing where you go to a mansion. You could do anything.”
Busted over hot tub row
One of the most awkward moments of the series comes courtesy of Matt and Emma Willis, when they are told to get in a hot tub with Sam and Judi – and stage an argument.
Busted bassist Matt splashes presenter Emma with the water, while she then pretends to be angry with him.
“It was so awkward,” squirmed Sam. “It went on for so long.”
Judi was loving the caper, adding: “Their acting skills were phenomenal.”
Host Joel said: “It was unbelievable. It felt so awkward, just watching them argue.
“I don’t know whether it’s because I’ve come from divorced parents, but I hate watching people argue.”
