Shannon Esra revealed as Protea on The Masked Singer South Africa

Award-winning actress Shannon Esra has become the latest celebrity to be unmasked on The Masked Singer South Africa Season 3, leaving the show’s detective panel completely surprised.

The SAFTA-winning actress, known for roles in Lioness, Isidingo, The River and The Queen, spent weeks disguised as Protea, successfully keeping her identity hidden from detectives J’Something, Somizi Mhlongo, Sithelo Shozi and guest detective Moshe Ndiki.

Protea’s clues left detectives guessing

This week’s episode saw six surviving Masks return to the stage for three entertaining head-to-head battles.

Leopard faced Mosquito, Chopsticks went up against Spotty, while Protea took on King Pie in a bid to avoid the Danger Zone.

From her very first appearance, Protea proved to be one of the competition’s biggest mysteries.

Her original clue package featured a fantasy world where she travelled through a snowy landscape in a unicorn-drawn crystal carriage. She hinted that she was “never meant for quiet corners”, was “one moment centre stage, the next running towards the sun”, occasionally became a character from the film Cocktail, and discovered at the age of 10 that “her fists worked as well as her voice”.

This week, another clue arrived via Tropika Island of Treasure host Zanele Potelwa.

“Before I did the thing I’m known for, I was hosting children in outer space. My career started somewhere between sci-fi, chaos, and intergalactic gladiators,” Protea teased.

Detectives miss the mark again

Following Protea’s performance of the Motown classic Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, guest detective Moshe Ndiki joked: “There ain’t no clue high enough.”

The panel once again struggled to identify the celebrity behind the mask.

J’Something believed the athletic clues pointed to marathon runner Gerda Steyn.

Sithelo Shozi guessed singer Sho Madjozi.

Somizi suggested singer-songwriter Cama Gwini, while Moshe believed it might be radio personality Khutso Theledi.

After Protea landed in the Danger Zone alongside Leopard and Chopsticks, the detectives chose to save Chopsticks, leaving the audience to decide Protea’s fate.

When it came time for their final guesses, Sithelo and J’Something stuck with their earlier choices, while Somizi changed his mind and guessed Moonchild Sanelly.

All four detectives were wrong.

Shannon Esra’s identity finally revealed

When Protea removed her mask, Shannon Esra was revealed, leaving the panel stunned.

Several clues suddenly became clear.

Her reference to “children in outer space” pointed to her first television job presenting a children’s version of Gladiators set in space, while the Cocktail clue referred to her days working as a waitress while pursuing her acting career.

After the reveal, Shannon admitted she had enjoyed hearing the detectives’ imaginative theories throughout the competition, including previous guesses such as Rachel Kolisi and Leleti Khumalo.

In a post-reveal Instagram Reel, Shannon described the experience as unforgettable.

“It’s something I’ve never done before and just such a vibe. The adrenaline…”

When to watch

The Masked Singer South Africa Season 3 airs on Saturdays at 19:00 on SABC 2.

Repeat broadcasts air on Thursdays at 21:00 on SABC 1 and Fridays at 13:30 on SABC 2.

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