Viewers of The Masked Singer were taken aback, finding themselves collectively in agreement over Rita Ora’s replacement.
The outlandish hit show made a flamboyant comeback on January 4, marking the start of its sixth series with a fresh lineup of costumed celebrities eager to strut their stuff vocally.
A diverse array of characters including Dressed Crab, Pufferfish, Tattoo and Toad in the Hole all set to dazzle the audience with an array of hits, all while skillfully concealing their ‘true’ identities.
Joel Dommett returned to helm the show with celebrity sleuths Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross and Mo Gilligan back in action, piecing together clues to unearth which stars are hiding behind the extravagant disguises.
Rita has been replaced on the ITV show
(Image: ITV)
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There was a noticeable change in the judging panel this year, though. Rita Ora, who had been part of the ensemble since its inception in 2020, did not reprise her role as a judge and instead saw TV star Maya Jama step into her shoes, reports the Mirror.
Viewers at home didnt hold back their opinions on the new panelist, with many expressing avid reception for the shift. Flocking to social media, one viewer commented: “Replacing Rita Ora with Maya Jama was a genius idea.”
Maya’s stint on the show went down a treat
(Image: ITV)
Another person expressed gratitude: “Dear ITV, thank you for putting Maya Jama on the panel. Yours truly, from everyone.” A third added their praise: “I love Maya.” Reinforcing these sentiments, yet another voiced: “Replacing Rita Ora with Maya Jama was clearly already an amazing call.”
Maya wasn’t the only fresh face on the panel during the premiere of the latest series, as Mo Farah made a special guest appearance and shared his thoughts about the new contestants.
The brand new series kicked off this weekend
(Image: ITV)
Last week, Maya opened up about her time on The Masked Singer while on GMB. She revealed: “I’m going to be honest. I started off a little shaky and then I managed to get one in the bag already.”
Host Joel Dommett also reflected on his experience with the show. He was asked: “You get up close and personal to the contestants, more so than the judges do. You must pick up some clues from that? ” Joel conceded: “Sometimes. Every now and then when the light hits them in the right way I’m going to see a nose.” Davina, taken aback, responded: “Hang on, we didn’t know that.” Joe then admitted: “Yeah every now and again. It doesn’t help me.”
Past winners of the show include McFly’s Danny Jones who was Piranha, Busted’s Charlie Simpson as Rhino, Natalie Imbruglia in the Panda costume, Joss Stone who was Sausage, and Girls Aloud’s Nicola Roberts who triumphed as Queen Bee.
The Masked Singer UK airs every Saturday on ITV1