Eurovision winners struggle to keep true identities secret

Monster-clad Finnish rockers Lordi face a new challenge after their shock victory in the Eurovision Song Contest: Keeping their true identities shrouded in mystery.

Lordi, whose Hard Rock Hallelujah won the contest with a record number of points on Saturday in Athens, do not appear publicly without their monster costumes.

In interviews and on their band website, they stick to their stage names: Mr Lordi, Kita, Amen, Awa and Ox.

But several European media appeared set on spoiling the secret today, publishing what they said where pictures of the group, unmasked.

Band founder Tomi Putaansuu, or Mr Lordi, asked that media respect Lordi’s wishes to keep their real identities hidden. “Just imagine if Santa suddenly took off his beard in the middle of giving out presents,” Putaansuu, dressed in Lordi garb complete with horns, said before leaving Athens.