‘The Masked Dancer’: Season finale turns into sweet victory for Cotton Candy
LOS ANGELES - Wednesday night’s season finale of "The Masked Dancer" turned out to be a super sweet victory for contestant Cotton Candy.
From Olympic gold to diamond mask, the person behind the colorful costume was none other than American Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas.
"This experience has been so, so amazing," Douglas told the audience.
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The three-time gold medalist is a 2012 Olympic all-around champion and 2015 world all-around silver medalist. But, despite her experience competing as a gymnast, Douglas said she has never done anything like this before.
"In gymnastics, we are very stagnant, so we just do poses," Douglas shared. "But on ‘The Masked Dancer’, you really dance, so it was so fun for me not to be stagnant but move like water."
Panelist Paula Abdul was confidently able to guess Douglas’ identity prior to the big reveal.
"You’re the epitome of what this show’s about — and that’s heart, " Abdul told Douglas. "Your heart led you to where you are right now."
Several clues led up to the reveal. The lipstick clue referenced Douglas’ lipstick line and a subway sign titled "F5" referred to her nickname Flying Squirrel. During the competition, Douglas raised a chocolate bar above her head in reference to her book "Raising the Bar."
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Douglas, 25, said she loves being mysterious while performing, which drew her to being on the show.
"It was so fun being anonymous — being behind Cotton Candy, and just the fact that no one knew who you were was just very, very thrilling," Douglas said.
Douglas said it was an honor to be compared to celebrity dancers and actresses including Jenna Dewan and Julianne Hough.
"Every performance I get nervous, because I really want to do my best," Douglas revealed. "This is one of my favorite competitions ever."
Douglas beat out world-renowned dancer and "Dancing with the Stars" champion Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who dressed as a sloth during the season.
"Sloth is my alter ego now," Chmerkovskiy, the season’s runner-up, admitted during his exit interview.
Third place went to Tulip, which turned out to be actress, singer and social media influencer Mackenzie Ziegler.
"The Masked Dancer" features celebrity contestants shaking their tail feathers while covered from head-to-toe in elaborate costumes and face masks, leaving audiences to guess their identities.
Each week, a series of clues are sprinkled throughout packages, costumes and routines, leading the panelists one step closer to figuring out which famous faces are freestyling behind the masks.
And when it comes to dancing styles — the sky is the limit.
Don’t miss the season five premiere of "The Masked Singer" on Wed. March 10 at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT on FOX.
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