The Masked Singer is back for a new series tonight – and there’s been a big change to the show. Rita Ora won’t be returning for the sixth series, having been replaced by another star.
The singer, aged 34, had been a panelist on the hit show since 2020. The news that Rita wouldn’t return broke in 2024.
And it was revealed that she had actually decided to switch to presenting the US version of the show. Rita will be on the judging panel for the US spin-off in 2025 along with Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, and Ken Jeong.
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Speaking about her decision to join the show, Rita previously told EW: ‘‘I just felt like a 100% [yes], because I already knew the show so well, and I just love it and I love the excitement of it.’
Taking over her spot is Love Island host Maya Jama. She told Digital Spy: “I’m such a Masked Singer fan, so joining the panel alongside Davina, Jonathan, and Mo — and of course working with Joel — is going to be so much fun!”
Maya will join Mo Gilligan, Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross on the panel for the first time tonight (January 4). It isn’t the first time the show has seen changes to its judging panel.
Ken Jeong, an initial member of the panel, was substituted by Mo Gilligan in 2021 due to travel restrictions imposed by COVID.
The Masked Singer airs at 7pm on ITV1 tonight. Fans can also watch along or catch up on online platform ITVX.