Fans of The Masked Singer are buzzing with the notion that former judge Rita Ora might just be making an epic return, but with a twist – this time as a contender in the musical masquerade.
Rita, who has graced the judging panel since the show’s UK launch in 2020 and was replaced by Maya Jama in the current series, is at the centre of swirling fan theories, suggesting her missing presence on the panel could mean she’s actually among the contestants.
September of last year saw the announcement of her departure from the show, fuelling further speculation.
One eagle-eyed enthusiast took to a dedicated Masked Singer Reddit forum to lay out three juicy clues pointing towards Rita hiding behind the guise of Pufferfish. The post, intriguingly titled “Is Pufferfish Rita Ora! ! ? ? ?” speculates on the celeb beneath the costume: “I think Pufferfish is Samantha Barks but it could be Rita Ora as these clues do match.”
The user added: “Pair of dice that land on a 5 and 6 equals 11 – she first started on the US version Season 11. A five-year work diary- she did 5 series in the UK but not this series as she is under that mask / or it could mean about fifty shades when she sang the song for it.”
They also pointed out: “Spider- She duetted with Iggy Azalea with the song Black Widow. Still figuring the other clues out for Rita Ora,” reports the Mirror.
Social media users have been abuzz with reactions to the latest episode, with comments such as “Love this!” capturing the excitement.
One viewer took a stab at guessing a contestant’s identity: “I bet Samantha Barks but the twisted hints are rubber chicken, the American football and also the dice. Second, I have no idea what connects to her and the spider clue.”
Another spectator remarked: “Pufferfish has the nicest voice, I reckon. I did wonder if Rita Ora might be on it because they’ve been reticent about her disappearance as a judge.”
Speculations continued as another fan speculated: “Some of the clues lead to a judge role. I don’t know her singing voice though,” while yet another contributed: “I’m legit convinced Pufferfish is Rita Ora.”
The enigmatic Pufferfish has made quite an impact, delivering performances of songs such as Good Luck, Babe! by Chappell Roan, Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, and Lose Control by Teddy Swims. Remaining in contention, Pufferfish has left audiences and fans speculating over their true identity, with suggestions ranging from Mabel to Katy Perry potentially being the celebrity under the whimsical costume.