Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Simon Bridges Revealed As Retro Robot On The Masked Singer NZ
28 August 2022 - The Masked Singer NZ is back and better than ever! Former National Party leader and MP Simon Bridges was unveiled as Retro Robot on tonight’s episode, exclusive to Three and ThreeNow. Celebrity panellist James Roque was successful in guessing Simon as being under the mask, while the other panellists struggled to decipher the clues.
Simon Bridges served as the National Party leader for two years, capping his political career after its start in 2008. While James Roque was successful in his guess, the other three panellists, including guest panellist Tofiga Fepulea’i, were stumped, guessing Sam Cane, Joseph Parker and Winston Peters.
A familiar face to many Kiwis across the country, Simon Bridges entered parliament as the MP for Tauranga in 2008, a post he held until 2022 when he departed from politics. Before politics he worked as a litigation lawyer in Auckland and Tauranga, and obtained qualifications from the London School of Economics and Political Science and Oxford.
Simon performed a jaw-dropping rendition of ‘(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman’ by Aretha Franklin, going up against Magic Monster, who performed ‘Something in the Water’ by Lewis Capaldi. Of his time on The Masked Singer NZ, Simon says: “Despite having to get hot and sweaty in the Retro Robot suit, I loved doing something very different from my day jobs and being on The Masked Singer NZ. Being compared to the likes of Sonny-Bill Williams each week was a brilliant laugh. I’d do it all again but hopefully I’d be better the second time!”
On guessing Simon’s identity correctly, James Roque commented: "Look, I’m gonna be honest with you, I don’t agree with Simon Bridges on most things when it comes to politics and I’ve been pretty outspoken about it before, but I gotta hand it to him, it takes a good sport to do our show and he absolutely nailed being that robot. Props to him for killing it!”
New episodes of The Masked Singer NZ air every Sunday at 7pm on Three and ThreeNow. The hit show is based on the South Korean series King Of Mask Singer, which has since inspired hugely popular American, British and Australian versions.
Keith Newman: Revised Edition Of Ratana Biography Highlights Lasting Legacy
Environmental Defence Society: Groundhog Day, New Book Shows History Is Repeating Itself
NZEI Te Riu Roa: Mandated Single Approach To Reading Will Not Work
The Conversation: Could The School Phone Ban Work?
Public Health Communication Centre: To Avoid A Measles Epidemic, Aotearoa Must Close The ‘Immunity Gap’
Heritage New Zealand: Kid-friendly Archaeology Resource Kit Launched As Part Of Archaeology Week