The Masked Singer fans have been unanimous in their reaction to the new panelist on the ITV show, following its latest episode aired on Saturday night (January 4) as it launched into its sixth series with fresh masked celebrities ready to belt out tunes and confound with their secret identities.
Contestants including Dressed Crab, Pufferfish, Tattoo, and Toad in the Hole graced the stage, aiming to bewilder audiences and the panel while performing beloved hits.
Host Joel Dommett returned to guide viewers through the fun, alongside veteran celebrity detectives Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross, and Mo Gilligan, who teamed up once more to unravel the mystery of which celebs were singing from behind intricate disguises.
This series saw a noticeable change in the judging line-up as singer Rita Ora, who had been a stalwart judge since the inception of the series in 2020, was noticeably absent from the panel, with television host Maya Jama stepping in to fill her shoes.
Viewers were eager to express their opinions on Maya Jama’s participation, with a wave of approval crashing across social media platforms. Venturing to Twitter, one viewer ecstatically posted: “Replacing Rita Ora with Maya Jama was a genius idea.”
Another complimented the decision stating: “Dear ITV, thank you for putting Maya Jama on the panel. Yours truly, from everyone.” A third fan simply expressed: “I love Maya.”, reports the Mirror.
Reinforcing the widespread agreement, yet another fan hailed: “Replacing Rita Ora with Maya Jama was clearly already an amazing call.”
Maya Jama wasn’t the only newcomer making waves on The Masked Singer panel during the premier of the new series, with athletics superstar Mo Farah also making a special guest appearance to share his thoughts about the contestants.
On a recent episode of Good Morning Britain, Maya opened up about her journey on The Masked Singe’, confessing: “I’m going to be honest. I started off a little shaky and then I managed to get one in the bag already.”
Meanwhile, host Joel Dommett was questioned about his unique experiences on the show, revealing: “Sometimes. Every now and then when the light hits them in the right way I’m going to see a nose.”
Davina McCall was clearly surprised by this, responding sharply: “Hang on, we didn’t know that.” Yet, Joe’s admission followed: “Yeah every now and again. It doesn’t help me.”
The show has seen a parade of notable champions including Danny Jones from McFly as Piranha, Busted’s Charlie Simpson behind Rhino’s mask, Natalie Imbruglia as Panda, Joss Stone who starred as Sausage, and Girls Aloud’s Nicola Roberts, known as Queen Bee, all enjoying successful stints on the programme.
The Masked Singer UK is available to watch on ITVX