The Masked Singer returned to ITV for its seventh season on January 3, featuring new format changes like a live band, but viewers quickly expressed frustration over the lengthy opening. Goldfish was unmasked as singer Anne-Marie, while Red Panda's performance was pulled due to sensitivities surrounding a recent tragedy in Switzerland.
The popular ITV guessing game show premiered its seventh season on Saturday, January 3, hosted by Joel Dommett with judges Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross, Mo Gilligan, and Maya Jama. For the first time, the opening episodes introduced The Masked Singer Band, starting with Goldfish performing alongside No Trout. Mo Gilligan joined in, remarking, "Oh a live band, do you not love a live band, ladies and gentleman?" before delivering an improvised rap.
However, the extended pre-show segment irked many viewers, who took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice their annoyance just minutes into the broadcast. One wrote, "For god's sake, get on with it!" Another complained, "FFS - this is terrible, American-esque s****, just get on with the show." A third noted, "10 minutes of guff before it even starts," while a fourth said, "Oh god Mo this is so cringe."
The episode included performances from Sloth, Can of Worms, Gargoyle, Disc Jockey, and Moth, with audiences theorizing that Sugababes member Keisha Buchanan hid behind the Moth costume. Viewers were also convinced early on that Goldfish was Anne-Marie, with one posting, "Goldfish sounds exactly like Anne-Marie. It surely can't be that obvious?" and another declaring, "Without a doubt @AnneMarie is goldfish!!" Their guesses proved correct when Anne-Marie was revealed.
Red Panda was originally slated to perform but was removed following a devastating fire in Switzerland. An ITV spokesperson stated: "In light of the tragic events in Switzerland, we took the decision to remove Red Panda's performance on The Masked Singer owing to potential insensitivities within the theme and lyrics of the song. Viewers will get to see Red panda perform in the coming weeks."
Emperor Penguin and the Antarctic Funkeys are set to appear in the next episode on January 4. The show promises more reveals and format tweaks this season.
