The Masked Dancer star Dita Von Teese, who was unveiled as Beetroot on Monday, revealed the show was "torture" as she was forbidden from chatting to her back up dancers.
The burlesque performer and ex wife of Marilyn Manson was revealed after losing the dance off with Knickerbocker Glory, whose identity remains a mystery for at least another night.
Dita, 48, gushed: "I thought it would be fun to do something unexpected and out of character for me.
"I’ve never done anything like this, and I’m not a competitive person, but I knew it would be hilarious. I also knew people wouldn’t expect me to be under the mask."
She also admitted Llama slipped a note under her dressing room door - and she was eyeing up a "masked romance" in character.
She added: "It was truly top secret, this was one of my favourite parts of being on the show. I loved wearing the disguise… the DON’T TALK TO ME sweatshirt, the blackout visor and trainers.
"I also enjoyed not having to put on my glam every day, I kind of enjoyed being makeup-free under the disguise. But it was torture not knowing who the others were.
"And it was hard not to be able to talk while on set. I really wanted to be able to chat with the dancing carrots and onions supporting me through the dance number."
Dita revealed she was also nervous about taking on The Masked Dancer because her dance experience is limited to ballet, and social dances from the 1930s and 40 - plus striptease.
"I never expected to go far in the competition but I knew it would be difficult for them to guess me and I knew I’d be unique," she said.
But people noticed her in the UK and were convinced she was filming something top secret, guessing Drag Race UK or even The Masked Singer.
In response to the latter, Dita would answer "I would never!" and joked this was not even a lie, as singing is her "worst nightmare".
"I’d diffuse the third degree further by telling them, 'Listen, it’ll be funnier if you don’t know until it airs on TV'", she said.
The Masked Dancer on ITV & the ITV Hub continues at 7.30pm on Tuesday
