Gabby Douglas won the first season of The Masked Dancer on Wednesday after performing on the spin-off show as Cotton Candy.
The 25-year-old three-time Olympics gold-medal winning gymnast beat out Maksim Chmerkovskiy, 35, who finished as runner-up competing as the Sloth and third-place finisher Mackenzie Ziegler, 16, who performed as Tulip.
Cotton Candy took a tumble during rehearsal early in the competition, but continued performing and advancing on the Fox show.
The winner: Gabby Douglas won the first season of The Masked Dancer on Wednesday after performing on the spin-off show as Cotton Candy
‘After the fall, all of my insecurities flooded back. But I know hard days are when champions are made, and I am a champion,’ Cotton Candy said before her final dance.
‘And even though Tulip and Sloth are more at home on the dance floor, my training gives me the courage to soar,’ she added.
Cotton Candy for her last dance gave it her all while performing to This Is Me by Kesha with high-flying flips and pirouettes punctuating her performance.
Show panelist Ashley Tisdale, 35, got emotional after Cotton Candy’s dance and fought back tears while praising her.
Scary fall: Cotton Candy took a tumble during rehearsal early in the competition, but continued performing and advancing on the Fox show
Getting emotional: Show panelist Ashley Tisdale, 35, got emotional after Cotton Candy’s dance and fought back tears while praising her
Third place: Dance Moms star Mackenzie Ziegler finished in third place
‘Honestly, that was, like, really emotional. You did such a great job,’ said Ashley, who showed her baby bump in a white maternity dress.
‘This was a beautiful finale performance. It felt like it was a redemption for you, that which you did not need to prove because we’ve loved you since day one,’ panelist Paula Abdul, 58, told Cotton Candy.
Paula correctly guessed that Gabby was Cotton Candy and won the competition among panelists for the most correct guesses after being tied with Brian Austin Green, 47.
High praise: ‘This was a beautiful finale performance. It felt like it was a redemption for you, that which you did not need to prove because we’ve loved you since day one,’ panelist Paula Abdul, 58, told Cotton Candy
‘Oh my god! I love you! I love you! I love you!,’ Paula exclaimed as Gabby removed her mask.
Show host Craig Robinson, 49, asked Gabby how it felt competing as Cotton Candy.
‘This experience has been so, so amazing. I thank everyone so much and I love everyone so much. It’s been so amazing,’ Gabby said.
Coveted trophy: Cotton Candy rejoiced as it was announced she won the coveted Diamond Mask Trophy
The host: Show host Craig Robinson, 49, asked Gabby how it felt competing as Cotton Candy
Paula told Gabby that her ‘heart’ was the ‘epitome of what his show’s about’.
‘And your heart led you to where you are right now,’ Paula said.
Craig asked what it was like to tumble in a costume and Gabby said it was her job ‘to make it look super light’.
Olympics champion: Craig asked what it was like to tumble in a costume and Gabby said it was her job ‘to make it look super light’
‘It was a first time performing and not being judged. I had so much fun, and I’m so grateful and so honored,’ she said.
Show panelist Ken Jeong, 51, had guessed that Cotton Candy was figure skater Michelle Kwan, while Brian picked figure skater Tara Lipinski and Ashley went with gymnast Simone Biles.
Maksim for his final performance as Sloth danced to Ballroom Blitz by The Struts, while Mackenzie as Tulip danced to Kings & Queens by Ava Max.
Last dance: Mackenzie Ziegler as Tulip danced to Kings & Queens by Ava Max
The Masked Dancer premiered on Fox on December 27 and Ice-T, 63, was the first to be eliminated.
Other contestants who were later eliminated included: Bill Nye, Elizabeth Smart, Brian McKnight, Vinny Guadagnino, Jordin Sparks and fourth-place finisher Oscar De La Hoya.
The Masked Dancer started as a spoof segment on The Ellen DeGeneres Show after the premiere of The Masked Singer on Fox in January 2019 and later became an actual co-production of Fox Alternative Entertainment and Warner Brothers Unscripted & Alternative Television.
First season: The Masked Dancer premiered on Fox on December 27
