Viewers have been loving The Masked Singer US, but what is happening with the UK version of the hit show? ITV have reportedly confirmed that the series will be returning to our screens with or without the inclusion of a live studio audience following the coronavirus lockdown.
READ: Who is The Masked Singer US presenter Nick Cannon?
The talent show, which sees a number of celebrities hiding their identities in different costumes to take part in a singing contest, will go ahead for its second series with the possibility of no studio audience present in order to comply with social distancing guidelines surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
WATCH: Joel Dommett talks to HELLO! about Masked Singer earlier this year at NTA's
Taking to Twitter, the Guardian's media editor Jim Waterson wrote: "Exciting news: ITV confirm The Masked Singer is going to come back with or without a studio audience. Also, everyone is already wearing masks and a giant costume so I suppose that helps with social distancing?" The lack of studio audience for the programme will prove a huge change to the format if it were to go ahead, due to the audience usually participating in the voting system to decide which masked singers make it through to the next round in the competition. HELLO! have reached out to ITV for comment.
© Photo: ITVThe first series saw a wide range of well-know faces
Meanwhile, the ITV programme, which is hosted by Joel Dommett and features Ken Jeong, Rita Ora, Davina McCall and Jonathan Ross on the judging panel, returned more recently for a special lockdown episode. As part of his new TV project, Home Alone with Joel Dommett, the comedian and presenter welcomed Davina and Jonathan to take part in the lockdown edition of the show. Joel told his co-stars: "I have missed you since The Masked Singer, guys. This is why I decided to arrange this very special lockdown version. I thought it would cheer us up in these dark times."
© Photo: ITVThe first series of The Masked Singer proved hugely popular
The Masked Singer isn't the only show to undergo major changes since the coronavirus pandemic. Strictly Come Dancing's director of content Charlotte Moore recently explained the hugely successful BBC ballroom competition may also have to go ahead without the inclusion of a studio audience. Speaking via video link at a recent TV event, she explained: "I would say [people think] if it is shiny floor, it needs an audience, and I don't think that's necessarily true. When you look at something like Drag Race, which is a big shiny floor talent competition with all sorts of catwalks, singing, dancing, impressions – it never has an audience. The audience is the four judges and I don't think it suffers from that at all. I think it is a brilliant show!"
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