Eagle eyed Masked Singer fans spot key Shropshire clue identifying Carol Decker as Tattoo on TV show

During Saturday's showing of the popular TV celebrity singing competition the Masked Singer contestants Tattoo, Teeth, Snail, Kingfisher, and Dress Crab took to the stage and dropped more hints about their identities. 

In the end it came down to a head-to-head sing off between Tattoo and Dressed Crab.

The judges decided to save Dressed Crab, meaning Tattoo's time on the show was over, and more importantly they would reveal their identity.

Judges made their final guesses as to who they thought was behind the mask. Diver Tom Daley thought it could be Kim Marsh, while Jonathan Ross suggested Rachel White and Davina McCall wondered if it was Nicole Appleton.

But, the judges and fans were both shocked when the star unmasked themselves, and it was 80s pop icon Carol Decker, who grew up in Wellington and Shrewsbury. 

She is best known as the iconic lead singer of British pop band T'Pau, known for their smash hit 'China in Your Hand'.

The 67-year-old enjoyed international success during the late 1980s and early 1990s, and also released her solo single 'One Heart' in 1995.

'There was a Wellington boot'

Fans quickly took to social media (X) to share their shock at Carol Decker being behind the mask.

"I was shocked it was her," said one fan. "What a lovely lady she is too."

Another fan added: "Never saw that one coming."

However, some fans suspected it was carol after some Shropshire-themed clues.

One fan said: "I knew it was Carol Decker, one clue was a wellington boot, and she lived there."

A reply said: "She was born in Liverpool and I remember her working at a pub in Shrewsbury before she became famous."

And, one fan was gutted to see the T'Pau icon leave, saying: "I thought the same as Tom Daley that Tattoo was Kym Marsh. But, well done Carol you were amazing and definitely shouldn't have gone, Teeth should have gone."

Carol returned to Shrewsbury during 2023, and performed in front of a sell-out crowd.

Ahead of her visit, she spoke of her time living in a flat with guitarist Ronnie Rogers above the Pengwern Boat Club in Shrewsbury which overlooks The Quarry park in the town, and where she penned some of the band's biggest hits.

The T'Pau singer sang Proud Mary by Tina Turner during Saturday's show, and fans were in awe of her performance.

"She was phenomenal," said one fan.

Another added: "She was really good. Great rendition of Proud Mary."

"I didn't guess but she was brilliant!" a watcher exclaimed. 

Other fans said: "Carol was amazing. I loved her version of Human by The Killers which is one of my favourite songs."

"It has to be nearly 40 years ago when I watched Carol on Top of the Pops singing 'China In Your Hands'. Always a great voice and a lovely lady."

"I recognised her voice as I was a huge T'Pau fan, neither of them should have been in the bottom two though."

"I knew it was Carol Decker. Her voice is so distinctive."

Carol Decker in Shropshire

Originally from Liverpool, Carol lived all over Shropshire, including Wellington, Ironbridge, Bridgnorth and Shrewsbury.

In 2018, Shrewsbury Colleges Group welcomed the well-known past student to its alumni. 

The music star lived and studied in Shropshire's county town during the 1980s and studied the Foundation Art Course at the Wakeman School of Art in 1979, just before the course and facilities were moved to its London Road site.

Carol said her parents, a singer and pianist, loved the fact that she decided to attend art college following a stint at Wellington School for Girls. 

She also explained her reasons for moving to Shropshire to The Guardian. 

She said: "When I was seven, my dad got offered a job as a section manager of a supermarket in Shropshire and so we moved to this sleepy, rural place. Although it offered a way out of a hard life, my mother had to leave her tribe behind."

Whilst at college, Carol met Ronnie, who became her partner and the other founding member of T’Pau.

Carol told the Guardian that she didn't start snging until she was 22. She was apart of a band called the Lazers and said she played covers in working men's clubs or at sites including bingo across Shropshire and surrounding areas.

The singing icon said her 'favourite' was at the young farmers’ balls where she would play on a lorry trailer where they had hosed cow poo off the walls.