With the latest season of The Masked Singer launched last night, the chat show host-turned panellist Jonathan Ross tells Gemma Dunn what is in store for its fans.

Prepare to share your Saturday nights with the likes of Poodle, Snow Leopard and Robobunny, as The Masked Singer makes an explosive return this New Year.

Yes, the popular ITV singing competition is back for a third season, with returning host Joel Dommett, and panellists Davina McCall, Rita Ora, Jonathan Ross, and Mo Gilligan once again leading the guesswork.

For those who need a recap: it's the bizarre, yet wonderful, hit show, whereby 12 celebrities, complete with new and ever flamboyant character costumes, sing and conceal their identities as they attempt to stump viewers and the panel alike on who they could possibly be.

Cue the cries of "take it off" and "who's behind the mask" as their identity is eventually revealed.

But can this year's famous bunch compete with the likes of Ne-Yo's leather-clad Badger's performance of Wrecking Ball or Joss Stone's winning rein as Sausage?

It sounds promising. We find out more from veteran broadcaster - and panellist - Ross, 61, who teases "a couple of real surprises" this time around...

HOW HAVE YOU ENJOYED RETURNING TO THE PANEL?

It's very nice being back. To be back here, especially now with a big audience and it's an audience who really know what the show is, it's really been so much fun, so much energy in the studio each night, so much fun seeing all the new singers. It's always exciting to see what the costumes will be and see what those inside the costumes do with their characters.

RECORD NUMBERS TUNED IN TO WATCH SAUSAGE UNMASKED LAST SERIES - AND THE FORMAT IS A HIT WORLDWIDE. WHAT DO YOU THINK IT IS THAT CAPTIVATES PEOPLE?

It's so fun and there's no kind of negativity at all. Even when someone goes out early in the competition - in other shows there's a sadness when they leave, because they've worked so hard - there isn't that I don't think. People are so enjoying taking part and maybe they'd like to stay for a couple more weeks, but they don't really mind because there's nothing at stake. They're not doing it for any other reason than just having a great time and trying to fool everyone.

HOW HAS HAVING A FULL AUDIENCE IMPACTED THE MOOD?

Having a crowd lifts things. And one of the things I find really lovely about it is seeing so many people coming along with their kids. It's quintessentially a family show. It's 100% a family show. So seeing all the little kids in, seeing how much they get into it, and seeing how they respond to certain characters, who may not be the best singers, but are the most fun on stage... You can see they're having a great time watching that person fool around.

TELL US A BIT ABOUT THIS YEAR'S CHARACTERS...

All the costumes are great. There's a really wide range; we've got some things that are beautiful, elegant animals like the Rockhopper; there's a mushroom character who's lovely on stage. Then we go to the other extreme and we've got a robot with a bunny stuck inside it and we've got a traffic cone. We usually aren't very pleased to see traffic cones but we like seeing this traffic cone as they make us all laugh. The biggest crowd pleaser so far is Doughnuts - made entirely of doughnuts and is probably the most fun performer to watch.

HOW'S YOUR GUESSING GAME THIS SEASON?

I start well at the beginning. I've been paying a lot more attention to the clues and a lot less attention to my imagination. But also, I got one person early on, and I think I was best placed to get that person - I don't want to give it away - because this was an older performer and I'm the oldest person on the panel. So I'm a little bit more tapped into the older celebrities and a little less tapped into the younger one. So once again, that's what makes the show a good family show - there is always something for everyone in it.

WOULD YOU SAY IT'S BEEN MADE MORE CHALLENGING THAN PREVIOUS SERIES?

I think it's about the same as it's always been, really. It's always been hard. The problem is you go down a certain track and you begin to convince yourself, because you've got no real idea. But the voices are often disguised - maybe more so this series than previous series. They've made it harder for us. One person was trained to sing using their mouth in a different way so that their very distinctive voice doesn't sound like it. We probably would have guessed if they were singing the way they normally sing. The clues kind of help and kind of don't help as often they can apply to more than one person. So, you'll convince yourself you've got it right and then afterwards when you realise what they meant with the clue, it makes perfect sense.

WHAT'S THE COMPETITION BETWEEN THE PANEL LIKE THIS YEAR?

It's quite hot in some ways. We all pretend it doesn't matter. Rita's the one who wants to really win this series - she won the last two so I think she feels going for the hattrick is a prize worth getting. So far, I think she's doing the worst out of all of us and that's quite delightful. I think I'm doing the best at the moment against all odds, but that won't last.

IF YOU WERE TASKED WITH DESIGNING A COSTUME, WHAT WOULD YOU COME UP WITH?

As I love sci-fi, I might go for something from that sort of realm. But we've got a Robobunny on the show, so they've sort of ticked the box there. We haven't had a big frog yet and I rather like frogs. And we haven't had as many dogs as I thought. We've got a poodle this series, but I think a pug might be fun. A big, floppy, soft pug.

AND WHAT WOULD BE YOUR GO-TO SONG CHOICE?

Well, because I've got a big range, I would probably go with 'And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going' from Dreamgirls. I'm probably the only one on the panel who can hit those notes and it would surprise people because I've got that energy...

DO YOU HAVE AN ALLTIME FAVOURITE CHARACTER?

No, I don't play favourites. Once you're in The Masked Singer family, you're in The Masked Singer family and we love them all equally.

The Masked Singer continues tonight on STV, 7.30pm