The seventh series of ITV's hit show The Masked Singer kicked off with a splash on Saturday 3rd January, delivering what many viewers are calling the 'most obvious unmasking ever'. Pop sensation Anne-Marie was revealed to be the celebrity inside the Goldfish costume during the launch episode.
A New Band Format for the Series
This series introduced a fresh twist, with the first two episodes featuring a full band. The panel, consisting of Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross, Mo Gilligan, and Maya Jama, had the task of guessing not just a solo performer, but the lead singer of a group named No Trout. Goldfish performed a rendition of Bruno Mars and Rose's hit 'Uptown Funk' as part of the band before the big reveal.
Following her unmasking, Anne-Marie explained her experience in the cumbersome costume, joking about her short attention span and the oddity of hearing her own voice projected back at her. She then treated the studio audience to a special performance of her signature hit, '2002'.
Clues and Fan Reactions
The clues presented to the judges were particularly telling. Goldfish asked Jonathan Ross a question about a goldfish's three-second memory. Mo Gilligan received a mathematical equation: '54x4x10-166+8=X', which solves to 2002 – the title of Anne-Marie's biggest song. Maya Jama was texted: 'I heard you became an award-winning billionaire by swimming upstream!'
Fan reaction on social media platform X was mixed. While many praised her 'beautiful' unmasked performance, others claimed they knew her identity immediately. One user wrote: 'Knew it was Anne Marie purely by the way she stood', while another declared: 'Anne Marie was possibly the most obvious unmasking ever.'
Shaking Up the Formula
A source told The Sun that the new band format was designed to keep viewers guessing as the show enters its seventh series. 'The franchise’s first-ever bands are going to blow everyone’s minds,' they said, noting that the celebrities inside might be solo artists or actual band members. The launch weekend featured four unmaskings across two nights, with Goldfish and Emperor Penguin being extra additions to the standard 12-celebrity lineup.
The previous series was won by West End star Samantha Barks as Pufferfish. The Masked Singer continues on ITV1 and ITVX.
