Joel Dommett is perhaps best known to ITV viewers as the presenter of The Masked Singer and I’m A Celebrity.
But the 36-year-old has also enjoyed a long career in stand-up – and managed to turn a shocking instance of attempted blackmail into a prominent part of his comedy act.
He met his now-wife Hannah Cooper in 2016. They connected through Instagram after she sent him a private message containing a heart-eyed cat emoji.
This social media approach had a happy ending for Joel – who appears in a repeat of Tipping Point: Lucky Stars this weekend – and Hannah.
But one particular previous experience of meeting someone online was in no way pleasant – and could have jeopardised his career.
Joel Dommett: What was his experience of attempted blackmail?
Speaking to i in early 2018, just over twelve months after he’d been a contestant on I’m A Celeb, Joel recalled being catfished when he was single.
He chatted with a Twitter follower named ‘Staci’ – and eventually agreed to Skype sex.
Read more: The ultimate Joel Dommett profile – how tall is he, who is his wife and how did he become famous?
Joel recalled: “It wasn’t something I’d done before, I didn’t even really know what it was going to be. I assumed it was going to be masturbation over the internet, and it was.”
It wasn’t something I’d done before.
However, the person on the other end of the call recorded their interaction.
And they later tried to use the footage – which showed him naked and recognisable – in an attempt to blackmail him for cash.
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‘I owned it’
Despite the “horrific” humiliation and pain of the incident – and subsequent leak of nude images – Joel decided to take control of a situation beyond his control as much as he could.
He was also aware what had happened would also make the newspapers due to his increasing public profile.
And so he utilised the attempted blackmail as material for a show.
Read more: Joel Dommett admits he can’t leave home when The Masked Singer is on air
Joel said back in 2018: “I decided to tackle it head on and make it funny. At least then I owned it, instead of a paper owning it. It’s a mad thing but it’s the new world that we live in.
“I’m in a very lucky position that I’m a comedian and I can talk about it. If I was a teacher I would have lost my job.”
Tipping Point: Lucky Stars airs on ITV, Sunday March 20, at 3.15 pm.
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