Clues Were There All Along: The Gnome's Identity Revealed on Masked Singer

The hugely popular reality show premiered on Fox in 2019 and hasn't stopped since. Eight seasons have already been released and it's clear that fans can't get enough of the thrilling reality show, marveling at the costumes and sets and being captivated by the voices of famous actors, singers and celebrities. People love to guess which star might be hiding behind the mask, and the final revelations have always been the best part of the show.

Season 9 of The Masked Singer kicked off with a bang, as Fox and its reps claimed that the first elimination of the season would be the one for the ages, and that the star hiding behind the mask would be nothing less of a cultural icon. Fans on Reddit immediately began discussing every possible possibility, trying to figure out who the Gnome really is.

Thanks to some hints left by the producers that the contestants of the season 9 would include Emmy, Grammy, Tony award winners, book authors, life achievement award winners and Hollywood Walk of Famers, people quickly thought of one suitable candidate – Dick Van Dyke.

Yes, the Hollywood legend is 97 years old, but he remained quite active even in his later years, which made many fans suspect him of being the Gnome.

And so, when the first episodes of Season 9 of The Masked Singer finally premiered, the whole world found out that the fans were absolutely right – after a beautiful rendition of Billie Holiday's 'When You're Smiling' Van Dyke was unmasked.

The whole studio erupted in applause, and even some of the judges shed tears watching the living legend. Of course, many young viewers didn't know who Van Dyke really was, but anyone who had ever watched Mery Poppins or a Dick Van Dyke show was shocked to see the artist in front of them.

Even if the Gnome was dropped from the competition first, he was certainly one of the most unexpected reveals in the history of the show.