What would be more nerve-wracking: performing pop songs dressed as a tree on The Masked Singer, or taking a penalty for England?
Being the tree, according to football legend Teddy Sheringham.
“Much, much, much more nerve-wracking,” insists Teddy - who scored a penalty against Germany in Euro ‘96.
Teddy, 53, was unmasked on this weekend’s show, to his relief, admitting he was “well out of my comfort zone” and “much more nervous” than he ever felt during his football career.
“I know what I’m meant to be doing on a football pitch - it becomes natural,” he says.
“When you’re thrown into the deep end and go out there on national TV and perform, it’s quite tough.”
The reaction from his former football colleagues has been just as punishing.
“I got a lot of texts saying: ‘What’s it all come to, Ted?’ and ‘Where’s it all gone wrong?’” he laughs.
He managed to keep his involvement secret from his old West Ham teammates and golfing pals James Collins and Carl Fletcher.
“When it was revealed they rang me up going: ‘You b ** , you didn’t tell us!’” he chuckles. “They were laughing their heads off.”
Admitting he doesn’t believe he’s musically gifted, hitting difficult notes came as a “relief”, he says, musing: “I suppose it’s a little bit like scoring a goal.”
Wife Kristina was unimpressed when he played the first audio recording of himself singing to her in bed.
“She went: ‘Oh my God, that’s horrendous. You’ve gotta get out of this show,’” recalls Teddy. “But I’d already signed the contract.”
Teddy’s tree getup - which came in five parts (complete with its own birds nest) and took 20 minutes to assemble - was so difficult to walk in he’s reluctant to ever revive it for fancy dress parties.
“I’ve burned it,” he jokes. “I never want to see it again.”
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