Mo Gilligan's life off-screen including soap star girlfriend amid 'deadbeat dad' claims

Daily Mirror

3 days ago

Mo Gilligan is known for his role on The Masked Singer but he's hit the headlines recently amid claims he has an 18-month-old son with a model
Mo Gilligan will be known on screen for his comedy sketches and his role on The Masked Singer. The 37-year-old comedian serves as one of four panellists on ITV's guessing game show and its spin-off, The Masked Dancer.
‌
Mo became part of the line-up with Rita Ora, Jonathan Ross, and Davina McCall during the second series in 2020 after taking over from Ken Jeong and has remained on the show since.
‌
Away from his role on the show and stage, it has been reported that Mo has secretly fathered a child - and currently has another kid on the way. The Masked Singer star is currently getting ready to welcome his first child with current partner Taia Tulher, 28. It comes after Mo was slammed by the mother of his other child, Selina Christoforou.
‌
He grew up in Lambeth, South London, reports MyLondon, but unfortunately, Mo's parents divorced when he was five years old, which required him to divide his time between their homes.
Mo expressed his appreciation for having both parents remain actively involved in his upbringing, as he said: "I think I've been very lucky. A lot of young black boys don't have a father in their lives. I love it, just me and my mum. Seal invited me to his show at the Palladium - that sounds so weird to say that - so I took my mum."
‌
The entertainer gained recognition and became a viral hit after posting comedic clips on his social media platforms whilst working in retail. Mo's breakthrough arrived in 2017 when rapper Drake discovered him.
Before the allegations of a secret child, he was in a long term relationship with Sophie Wise. Many will recognise Sophie from her previous role as Carly Bradley in Hollyoaks. She has also appeared in various TV dramas and films - including brief stints in BBC medical dramas Holby City and Doctors.
‌
Until a few years back, Mo was living his mother before purchasing a five-bedroom property in North London. He said: "I looked at Surrey, a lot of people in TV move out there, but I work a lot in London so I bought in North London.
"I bought a five-bedroom semi-detached house. I'm the first person in my family to buy a property so it's a big deal. A lot of my family and friends will be coming over."
From beginning in a customer service role to becoming part of a huge TV show, there's no doubt his salary has increased dramatically. According to Entertainment Daily, Mo's net worth is estimated to be £18 million.
Mo never announced he had become a father, but it was thought he met model Selina Christoforou, 35, online and went on to have a baby. A source said: "She found out she was pregnant in May 2023 and it was quite a shock for them both because they'd been fairly careful. She found out she was pregnant in May 2023 and it was quite a shock for them both because they'd been fairly careful. But she wanted to have the baby, despite the fact they weren't actually a couple.
Selina went on to claim she knows how few times the star has met his son and insists she kept thinking things will get better for her "unbelievable" son. However, she said she understands you "can't make someone be a dad".