
Tom Sandoval isn’t the No. 1 man within the group on Vanderpump Guidelines — or on The Masked Singer.
Sandoval, 41, was unmasked because the Diver in the course of the Wednesday, October 4, episode of the Fox competitors collection. “This was a lot enjoyable. With the ability to come out right here and carry out behind a masks not being judged and simply being judged on my efficiency it was very nice,” he mentioned after revealing his id. “I knew I used to be getting guessed straight away.”
Previous to his unmasking, Sandoval dropped numerous clues about his id — together with being “hated” by the general public.
“Making my debut because the Diver final week was so rewarding. It felt nice to get all of the love from the panel and viewers, one thing , I haven’t gotten a lot of currently,” he mentioned in his Wednesday promo bundle. “As a child, I at all times wished to be well-known. I modeled, acted and, in fact, sang. I used to be at all times ready to develop into a family title — I simply didn’t suppose it will be from everybody hating me.”
Sandoval famous that he was able to “present the world I’m greater than my errors” including that collaborating in The Masked Singer has been a “therapeutic expertise.”
“Attending to share my expertise as a substitute of my drama is precisely what I’ve wanted,” he shared.
Among the judges thought Pete Davidson or DJ Pauly D was beneath the costume, notably after the Diver revealed his affection for “the membership.” Ken Jeong, nonetheless, had Sandoval marked from the beginning.
“The Diver is Tom Sandoval and I’ll inform you why. Golf equipment, eating places, bars. Tom Sandoval owns two golf equipment. Excessive heels, pumps as in Vandeprump Guidelines. There you go!” he exclaimed. Jenny McCarthy agreed. “There was a pump within the bundle, he’s a performer, I feel this may very well be Tom Sandoval,” she mentioned.
Followers additionally suspected Sandoval was behind the Diver masks from the very starting. “Normally, I’m fairly pumped, however currently, I’ve been misplaced within the abyss,” he mentioned in the course of the season premiere. “I could be probably the most hated creature within the ocean proper now.”
Tremendous sleuths — and Us Weekly — instantly suspected that “pumped” was a reference to Pump Guidelines, whereas “probably the most hated creature” appeared like an apparent reference to Sandoval’s controversial affair with costar Raquel Leviss. Us confirmed in March that Sandoval and longtime girlfriend Ariana Madix known as it quits after 9 years collectively following Sandoval’s secret romance with Leviss, 29.
Diver’s clue packages closely implied that he’d been concerned in some form of scandal, with references to him having made errors prior to now. “It hurts once I get judged by individuals who’ve by no means even met me, and I develop into a scapegoat for each unhealthy dude they’ve ever recognized,” he mentioned in the course of the season premiere. “Attending to share my voice with out the preconceived notion of who I’m is absolutely what I want proper now.”
A couple of visible clues additionally hinted at Sandoval, together with a compass pointing to the letters “MW” — maybe as reference to his hometown of St. Louis, which is within the Midwest. One other clue displayed the phrase “11 million eyes on Diver” written throughout {a magazine} cowl. Season 10 of Pump Guidelines, in the meantime, reached a mean of 11 million viewers per episode.

“The extra folks discuss my enterprise, the extra I would like them out of it,” Diver mentioned at one level. Whereas this might have been a reference to his private life, it might even have been a nod to his stakes within the eating places TomTom and Schwartz & Sandy’s.
After information of his affair with Leviss made headlines, Sandoval requested the general public to cease leaving destructive on-line critiques of his companies. “Schwartz & Sandy’s may need my title on it, but in addition there are 3 different companions and 20 staff, who particularly depend on the restaurant for revenue for them and their households,” he wrote through Instagram in March. “Similar to TomTom, I’m a small a part of a a lot larger factor. Please direct ur anger in the direction of me and never them.”
The Masked Singer airs on Fox Wednesdays at 8 p.m.

