The Masked Singer season 5 will look a little different from past seasons, at least initially. Nick Cannon will not be the host of the show at the beginning of the season. Nick tested positive for COVID-19 in Feb. 2021 just as filming was about to begin, according to Variety. At the time, Nick had to step down from hosting while he was in “quarantine and resting.”
The show had to go on, so FOX brought in Niecy Nash as a guest host. Niecy has been a guest panelist in the past and is known for her role in the TNT series Claws. Now she’s taking over as host of The Masked Singer for the time being. The number of episodes Niecy will be filling in for Nick has not been revealed.
During the Television Critics Association winter press tour, executive producer James Breen discussed the hosting shakeup. “Nick rejoins towards the second half of the season,” he told reporters. “I won’t be too specific about how many shows, but Niecy kicks things off.” James gushed that Niecy has been “absolutely fantastic” as a temporary host for the show.
Besides the host switch-up, almost everything about The Masked Singer remains the same. Celebrity panelists Ken Jeong, Nicole Scherzinger, Robin Thicke, and Jenny McCarthy are all back for season 5.
However, there will be some format changes to the show. For the first time in the show’s history, wildcard rounds are being introduced. These rounds will feature new masked celebrities. They’ll be introduced during the show and have a chance to replace another contestant in the group. If they do unseat a contestant, these wildcards are in the running to win the Golden Mask trophy. These costumes are still a mystery, but all will be revealed in time. The Masked Singer season 5 airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on FOX.
