The faces behind your favourite TV characters – from Deal or No Deal’s banker to Mr Blobby and the Stig

THEY’VE entertained us for years without showing their faces on screen, but have you ever wondered who the real people are behind your top TV characters and narrators?

Everyone from The Banker on Deal Or No Deal to Mr Blobby and Come Dine With Me’s narrator are telly faves – but we have no idea what they look like.

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Andrianna Christofi plays The Body on The CubeCredit: Louis Wood – The Sun

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Andrianna, 44, has been unmasked – and she looks incredible out of her work gearCredit: Louis Wood – The Sun

Now, in the latest big revelation, The Body on The Cube has been named as model and singer Andrianna Christofi, 44.

Andrianna has stood alongside the ITV show’s host Phillip Schofield, 58, since the show began in 2009.

While she’s best known for her mask and skin-tight outfit on the show, she is already well known in the showbiz world, having built up a 20-year career – and has even sung with the Spice Girls and Boyzone.

She also sang both national anthems for the England-Greece World Cup qualifier in 2001 when David Beckham scored a last-gasp free kick.

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She has appeared on Phillip Schofield’s TV show since it first beganCredit: ITV

But she’s not the only star to surprise fans by revealing her true identity. Here we look at the real faces behind the most mysterious TV characters…

Barney the dinosaur

If you grew up during the 90s, chances are you were a fan of Barney the giant purple dinosaur.

And it was David Joyner who played the childhood TV hero from when the show first aired, in 1992, until 2002 – when another production company took over.

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Barney was one of the most popular children’s TV characters in the 90sCredit: Alamy

David, 57, is from Illinois, USA, and has also played many unsuited roles throughout his acting career.

But, while he was the man inside the suit, Barney was actually voiced by someone else – an American voice actor named Bob West.

As well as Barney, David has featured in House, That 70s Show, Hip Hop Harry and 24.

He has had a major career change since however, and now runs a tantric sex business, according to Vice.

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David Joyner was the man under the Barney suitCredit: Getty – Contributor

David said he only accepts female clients for his services, and charges $350 (£267) for a four-hour session.

He told the news outlet his business offers massages, ritual baths and chakra balancing – with the aim in many cases to make his clients orgasm.

“The energy I brought up [while] in the [Barney] costume is based on the foundation of tantra, which is love,” he reportedly added. “Everything stems, grows, and evolves from love.

“Even when you have emotionally blocked energy, the best way to remove it is to remove it with love, and then replace it with God’s divine love. Love heals and allows you to continue to grow.”

Deal Or No Deal’s The Banker

He was central to every episode of Deal Or No Deal, but The Banker’s identity remained a closely guarded secret throughout its time on air.

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Deal Or No Deal’s Noel Edmonds would ring the mystery Banker in each episodeCredit: Rex Features

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Glenn Hugill was the secret Banker throughout the show, working behind the scenesCredit: Channel 5

Each show would see host Noel Edmonds phone up the mystery individual for an offer – which he’d then pass over to the contestant, who would either accept it, or reject it and gamble on another box.

But while many no doubt assumed The Banker was several different producers backstage, it was actually a specific person – executive producer Glenn Hugill.

Hugill, 50, is perhaps best known for playing policeman Alan McKenna on Coronation Street in 90s.

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He played Alan McKenna on Corrie in the 90sCredit: Rex Features

He went on to host reality show The Mole, as well as producing Channel 4’s Beauty And The Geek.

Mr Blobby

While many kids grew up firmly believing Mr Blobby was real and lived with Noel Edmonds in Crinkley Bottom, he was actually played by former Shakespearean actor Barry Killerby.

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Actor Barry Killerby played Mr Blobby from 1994-1998Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

Barry played Mr Blobby from 1994-1998, before he moved on to ChuckleVision as a regular actor on the show.

In regards to the Mr Blobby role, Barry has previously said: “People think it’s easy bouncing around saying, ‘blobby’, but they should try it.

“It was exhausting and demanding.”

According to The Mirror, Barry’s character eventually got into hot water when he was caught in a row with a father following his six-year-old’s birthday party in Luton.

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Barry Killerby as Sir Percy in ChuckleVision

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Barry Killerby looks very different nowCredit: Linkedin

It’s claimed he threw the young girl’s birthday cake on the floor, much to the shock of the guests – causing her father to jump on stage in outrage.

Come Dine With Me narrator 

He provides one of the funniest voices on daytime TV, but comedian Dave Lamb, 51, never shows his face on Come Dine With Me (as its resident narrator).

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Dave Lamb is well known for his hilarious commentary on Come Dine With MeCredit: Collins

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Dave is responsible for picking apart each contestant’s meals on the showCredit: Channel 4

The star’s commentary has become one of the show’s biggest selling points, with witty comments and ruthless remarks about each contestant.

Prior to the show he was a voiceover artist on cartoon series 2DTV, and a regular on the sketch show Goodness Gracious Me.

He also made a brief appearance in DIY SOS.

The Stig

The Stig is the silent racing car driver behind Top Gear’s most impressive laps – but never reveals his or her real identity on the show.

However, while the character always appears in the same uniform of white – plus that iconic helmet – there have actually been several people hiding under it over the years.

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The Stig has been a star of Top Gear from the very startCredit: BBC

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Ben Collins revealed he had been The Stig for many years previouslyCredit: SWNS:South West News Service

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McLaren Formula One driver Heikki Kovalainen was also rumoured to have been under the helmet at one pointCredit: Reuters

Racing driver and stunt man Ben Collins, 45, revealed he was the Stig in 2010, and consequently lost the job after seven years doing it.

However, before Collins revealed his identity, it was reported by The Mail that eight different drivers all shared the role, including Lewis Hamilton’s racing pal Heikki Kovalainen, Chris Goodwin, Dan Lang and Julian Bailey.

Top Gear has never officially confirmed who replaced Collins.

Teletubbies’ Tinky Winky

Comedian Dave Thompson, 60, played Tinky Winky in hugely popular kids TV show Teletubbies for years, without viewers ever seeing his face on screen.

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Tinky Winky was much loved by kids for years on the show

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Dave Thompson played Tinky Winky originally on the showCredit: Twitter

However his time under the purple suit came to an abrupt end in July 1997 when he left the show due to “creative differences”.

The BBC reportedly said in a letter that his “interpretation of the role was not acceptable”.

However, it was claimed at the time that the production company felt the actor had misinterpreted the role by implying Tinky Winky was gay.

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Teletubbies was a favourite on children’s TV Credit: Handout

Dave would go on to a career in stand-up comedy which included performing a sketch known as the Naked Balloon Dance.

His replacement was trained ballet dancer and choreographer Simon Shelton.

Big Brother narrator

Big Brother wouldn’t be the same without the narrator reading iconic lines like: “Day 13 in the Big Brother house…”

And the man behind the voice is Marcus Bentley.

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Geordie Marcus Bentley is known for narrating the regular and celeb versions of the showCredit: Rex Features

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Marcus Bentley even entered the Big Brother house on one occasionCredit: Rex Features

Marcus, 53, has narrated all 17 series of Big Brother since 2000, even following the show to Channel 5 after it was axed from Channel 4.

He has also narrated some BB spin-off shows.

He did voiceover for Big Brother Countdown and Ultimate Big Brother, as well as narrating a documentary about Celebrity Big Brother’s Chantelle Houghton.

Marcus also has a degree in acting from East 15 school and pursued acting roles before getting the Big Brother job.

X Factor announcer

It’s hard to imagine many of the first X Factor series without the booming tones of its announcer shouting out each of the judges’ names.

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Peter Dickson has built up a very successful career as a voiceover artistCredit: Dan Charity – The Sun

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Each X Factor judge has had their name read out during live shows by Peter DicksonCredit: PA:Press Association

And the man behind the microphone is Northern Irish voiceover artist Peter Dickson.

He’s starred on the show from the very beginning, before going on to lend his voice to Britain’s Got Talent too.

Dickson is also known for being the voice of television channel E4.

Love Island narrator

Perhaps one of the best known narrators now is Iain Stirling, 32, who voices Love Island each year.

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Iain Stirling has been the hilarious and witty narrator behind Love Island from the start of the rejigged showCredit: ITV

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Iain is in a relationship with presenter Laura Whitmore

Stirling is a well known comedian away from the show, but shot to popularity with his hilarious remarks off camera while watching each batch of celebs battle for each other’s attention.

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The Scottish comic, writer and television presenter is now based in London, where he lives with girlfriend and presenter Laura Whitmore.

He has also appeared on CBBC’s The Dog Ate My Homework and Drunk History.

From 2017 he has presented ITV2 comedy game show CelebAbility, and in 2019 he performed tasks for Greg Davies on the Dave show Taskmaster. He’s also appeared with Laura on Celebrity Gogglebox.

Online showreel for Andrianna Christofi – recently revealed as The Cube’s The Body