Vincent Gross Wins The Masked Singer as Fernando el Toro
The Swiss pop singer triumphed in the finale of the hit television competition after outperforming four other masked contestants in Cologne.
Pop singer Vincent Gross won the 13th season of the popular television competition "The Masked Singer," performing as a bull named Fernando el Toro. The grand finale, hosted by Matthias Opdenhövel, took place in Cologne, where the remaining disguised celebrities took to the stage for their final performances before the studio audience and panel.
During the final showdown, Fernando el Toro energized the crowd and the panel with a spirited rendition of the Backstreet Boys hit "Everybody." Gross faced stiff competition from four other finalists who also unmasked during the evening, including cabaret artist Gisa Flake, actress Jasmin Schwiers, singer Joey Heindle, and pop singer Anna-Carina Woitschack.
The runner-up position went to Anna-Carina Woitschack, who performed as a punk-inspired plush creature known as "Wild Thing" wearing a studded jacket. Third place was claimed by Joey Heindle, who competed inside a large horse costume throughout the season.
While the victory was celebrated enthusiastically by the audience, the ceremony featured a brief mishap. Host Matthias Opdenhövel accidentally broke the trophy during the commotion, suddenly holding a piece of the award in his hand while exclaiming in surprise. Gross, however, remained unfazed by the broken trophy, stating that he felt exhausted but happy.
Reflecting on the secrecy surrounding the production, Gross compared the security measures to a state visit rather than a standard television gig. He explained that contestants were transported in darkened vans while wearing ski masks to ensure their true identities remained completely hidden until the unmasking moments.
Comedian Chris Tall, who sat on the show's guessing panel, demonstrated impressive accuracy by correctly identifying four out of the five final contestants, including Gross as the winning bull. Panelist Verona Pooth also made various guesses throughout the night, while Opdenhövel hinted to viewers that the program would return for another season next year.
Sources
- Vincent Gross gewinnt als Fernando el Toro gala.de
- Als Stier zum Sieg: Vincent Gross gewinnt «Masked Singer» - Panorama rheinpfalz.de
- „Masked Singer“ 2026: Trinkfreudiger Schlagersänger gewinnt bei „Masked Singer“ rp-online.de
- "The Masked Singer": Die Gewinner:innen aller Staffeln im Überblick joyn.de