50 Fun Facts About The Masked Singer

The Masked Singer franchise began with King of Mask Singer, a show first broadcast in which country?

South Korea first aired the format as a one-off holiday special in 2015, and it proved so popular that it became a regular Sunday show.

Which politician's unmasking as Jack in the Box led a panelist to walk off the US Masked Singer set?

Rudy Giuliani sang a George Thorogood rocker in the costume, and word of the walk-off leaked more than two months before the episode aired.

Which Muppet was unmasked as the Snail in season five of the US Masked Singer?

Kermit the Frog was the first fictional character to compete on the American show, and the first singer sent home that season.

Which rapper won season one of the US Masked Singer disguised as the Monster?

T-Pain, the rapper famous for Auto-Tune, released a surprise album called 1UP on the day he was crowned champion.

Which screen legend was 97 when he was unmasked as the Gnome in season nine of the US Masked Singer?

Dick Van Dyke received a long standing ovation, then sang a number from Mary Poppins as his encore.

Which America's Got Talent presenter became the original host of the US Masked Singer?

Nick Cannon joined believing the show would be either a huge failure or a huge hit, and later became one of its executive producers.

Which former vice-presidential nominee was unmasked as the Bear in season three of the US Masked Singer?

Sarah Palin, John McCain's 2008 running mate, performed a Sir Mix-a-Lot rap hit and was the first singer voted out of her group.

Which actor from The Hangover films was the first panelist signed for the US Masked Singer?

Ken Jeong signed first because he already knew the original format, and saw the job as a stopgap after his sitcom Dr. Ken was cancelled.

Season three of the US Masked Singer premiered in February 2020 directly after which televised event?

The Super Bowl slot delivered more than 27 million viewers, far more than any earlier episode of the series.

Which Hollywood star sang in a unicorn mask on King of Mask Singer, the original Masked Singer show?

Ryan Reynolds made the surprise appearance to sing Tomorrow, the showstopper from the musical Annie.

The US Masked Singer was rejected by several outlets before which network ordered it in 2018?

Fox had an executive who warmed to the pitch at once, seeing how different it was from other celebrity singing contests as a strength.

What is the name of the trophy presented to the winner of each season of the US Masked Singer?

Golden Mask is the champion's prize, while for three seasons the panelists chased a trophy of their own for the sharpest first guesses.

Which High School Musical star won season eleven of the US Masked Singer as the Goldfish?

Vanessa Hudgens beat actor Scott Porter, who finished runner-up as Gumball, to take the season's title.

Which game-show host won season two of the US Masked Singer after turning down season one?

Wayne Brady, of Let's Make a Deal, feared viewers only tuned in to watch a train wreck, and changed his mind once the first run was a hit.

The Masked Singer spin-off The Masked Dancer began as a spoof segment on which host's talk show?

Ellen DeGeneres launched the parody within a week of the premiere, and a network executive rang her producers the day after it aired.

Which extreme-sports star was unmasked as the Elephant in season three of the US Masked Singer?

Tony Hawk, the skateboarding great, was voted out after singing a hit by The Cure.

Which Full House star was unmasked as the Squiggly Monster in season four of the US Masked Singer?

Bob Saget, the sitcom's dad Danny Tanner, bowed out after tackling a Rolling Stones classic.

Which British rock band recorded the 1978 hit used as the theme song of the US Masked Singer?

The Who's Who Are You plays as each celebrity takes off the mask, and the same track opened every episode of the crime drama CSI.

Soul legend Gladys Knight finished third in season one of the US Masked Singer disguised as which insect?

Bee carried the seven-time Grammy winner all the way to the final, where she finished behind a rapper and a 1970s teen idol.

Which country singer won season four of the US Masked Singer performing as the Sun?

LeAnn Rimes came back for the next season's finale as a guest panelist and sang one of her own hits with the three finalists.

Which singer, already a panelist on the British version, joined the US Masked Singer panel in season eleven?

Rita Ora stepped in while Nicole Scherzinger starred in a West End revival of Sunset Boulevard, the panel's first major change.

Which 1990s singer-songwriter won season six of the US Masked Singer as the Queen of Hearts?

Jewel, raised on an Alaskan homestead, went on to release an EP called Queen of Hearts covering the songs she had performed in the costume.

Which NFL tight end was unmasked as the White Tiger in season three of the US Masked Singer?

Rob Gronkowski fluffed some words mid-song and said the producers never offered him a retake, because singers get a single live take.

Which member of the Jackson family was unmasked as the Alien in season one of the US Masked Singer?

La Toya returned to the franchise in 2023, competing as Burger Gal on the Australian version of the show.

Comedian Tommy Chong wore which fruit costume, styled as a surfer, in season one of the US Masked Singer?

Pineapple was a full-body suit built to look like a Hawaiian beach surfer, with small fans fitted inside for the performer.

Donny Osmond was runner-up in season one of the US Masked Singer in which Elvis-inspired bird costume?

Peacock was designed as a showstopper outfit that echoed the glitz of Las Vegas.

Which R&B singer won season ten of the US Masked Singer after finishing second on the British version?

Ne-Yo was runner-up as Badger in Britain in 2021, then went one better in America two years later disguised as a Cow.

What object, introduced in season nine of the US Masked Singer, lets a panelist save a singer from elimination?

A bell named Ding Dong Keep It On can be rung only once per group, and the singers it rescued later sang off for a second chance.

Which NSYNC member was unmasked as the Rabbit in season one of the US Masked Singer?

Joey Fatone tied for fourth place with the Lion, who turned out to be actress Rumer Willis.

Which teenage Dance Moms star was unmasked as the T-Rex in season three of the US Masked Singer?

JoJo Siwa was 16, which made her the youngest contestant the show had seen at that point.

Which actress guest-hosted five episodes of season five of the US Masked Singer while its host had COVID-19?

Niecy Nash handed the stage back when the regular host turned up as a contestant and was unmasked as the Bulldog.

Which New Kids on the Block singer was unmasked as the rooster Cluedle-Doo on the US Masked Singer?

Donnie Wahlberg fooled the whole panel, including his own wife, who had not recognised his voice.

Which Glee actress won season eight of the US Masked Singer performing as the Harp?

Amber Riley then entered the British version of the show as Jellyfish and finished fourth.

Which Oscar-nominated actor pulled off his own Gremlin mask mid-show in season four of the US Masked Singer?

Mickey Rourke complained about the heat inside the costume and unmasked himself before the panel could vote, ending his own run.

Season seven of the US Masked Singer split its contestants into teams called The Good, The Bad and what?

The Cuddly completed a play on a famous western's title, in the first season to sort its singers into teams.

Which R&B vocal group won season twelve of the US Masked Singer performing together as the Buffalos?

Boyz II Men became the first group ever to win the American show, guided by a former champion acting as their mask ambassador.

Singer Nick Lachey won season five of the US Masked Singer disguised as which farmyard animal?

Piglet beat a Black Swan and a Chameleon in the final, making the 98 Degrees frontman the season's champion.

Which Mean Girls star sat on the judging panel for the first season of The Masked Singer Australia?

Lindsay Lohan missed the second season because pandemic travel rules stopped her flying from Dubai to Melbourne.

Which Real Housewives of Atlanta star became the first woman to win the US Masked Singer?

Kandi Burruss won season three as the Night Angel, having turned down the first season because of other commitments.

Which former Big Brother presenter was an original panelist on ITV's The Masked Singer in Britain?

Davina McCall sat beside Jonathan Ross from the first series in 2020, and also judged the spin-off The Masked Dancer.

The US Masked Singer's producer first saw the format on a TV in which kind of Los Angeles restaurant?

Thai food was on its way when he noticed every diner watching the screen, where a kangaroo in black pleather was singing a pop song.

Which US Masked Singer panelist won the first two trophies for the most correct first-impression guesses?

Jenny McCarthy took the panel's guessing prize in seasons four and five, before Nicole Scherzinger finally beat her in season six.

Which NFL wide receiver was unmasked as the Hippo in the very first episode of the US Masked Singer?

Antonio Brown sang My Prerogative, then became the first celebrity the American show ever sent home.

Magicians Penn & Teller shared which mythical-monster costume in season seven of the US Masked Singer?

Hydra was the first costume on the show with three heads, and it also walked on three legs and breathed smoke.

The singer Seal performed in season two of the US Masked Singer as which big cat in a Victorian dress?

Leopard kept its animal print to the mask alone, pairing it with a vintage gown and a large collar, and finished fourth.

Soul singer Joss Stone won the second series of ITV's The Masked Singer dressed as which item of food?

Sausage beat a Badger and a Robin in the February 2021 final, the most-watched episode of that series.

Which Emmy-winning designer created the costumes for the first six seasons of the US Masked Singer?

Marina Toybina sketched every concept in pencil and cited couturiers such as Alexander McQueen as inspiration for the outfits.

Which Girls Aloud singer won the first series of ITV's The Masked Singer in February 2020?

Nicola Roberts beat comedian Jason Manford and singer Katherine Jenkins, then returned a year later as a guest judge for the next final.

Which comedian was announced in 2019 as the presenter of ITV's The Masked Singer in Britain?

Joel Dommett later inspired a costume of his own: Giant Joel, a character who was unmasked as the runner Mo Farah.

Which American Idol alumnus finished runner-up in season two of the US Masked Singer as the Rottweiler?

Chris Daughtry had missed out on that talent show's title too, placing fourth before he formed his rock band.