The guessing game is in full swing as ITV's The Masked Singer returned for its seventh series this weekend, with fans immediately convinced they have identified one of the mystery celebrities.
Monkey Business Makes a Telling Debut
In the episode that aired on Sunday 4th January 2026, a new character named Monkey Business took to the stage for the first time. The performer delivered a rendition of Hall & Oates' 'Maneater', but not before offering a series of cryptic clues about their identity. Among the hints was the theme music from The Apprentice, with the overall clue package suggesting the star 'meant business'.
The panel of judges—Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross, Maya Jama, and Mo Gilligan—were left divided. Maya Jama speculated it could be Girls Aloud's Cheryl Tweedy, while Jonathan Ross suggested IT Crowd actress Katherine Parkinson. Davina McCall pointed the finger at Dragon's Den star Sara Davies, and Mo Gilligan confidently named Baroness Karren Brady.
Viewers Point to a Spice Girl
However, viewers at home quickly developed a strong theory of their own. Many took to social media, specifically X (formerly Twitter), to name Emma Bunton as the person behind the Monkey Business mask. Bunton, of course, rose to global fame in the 1990s as Baby Spice in the iconic girl group the Spice Girls, alongside Victoria Beckham, Geri Halliwell, Melanie C, and Melanie Brown.
One viewer wrote, "Monkey Business is either Avril Lavigne or Emma Bunton," while another stated simply, "Monkey Business - Emma Bunton." A third added, "I think Monkey Business is Emma Bunton?"
First Unmasking of the Series
The debut episode also saw the first celebrity unmasking of the new series. Alex Jones, presenter of The One Show, was revealed to be Disc Jockey after performing Chappell Roan's 'Pink Pony Club'. The judges' guesses, which included Annie Mac, Jill Scott, Mary Berry, Sara Cox, and Bonnie Tyler, were all incorrect.
Upon revealing her identity, the 48-year-old, who is married to Charlie Thomson, emotionally dedicated her performance to her children: "Teddy, Kit and Annie, this was for you. I hope that you've loved it." She explained she wanted to show them that "overcoming fear is a good thing."
The episode also confirmed that singer Anne-Marie had been unmasked as Goldfish in a previous recording, after the judges correctly guessed her identity following a performance.
With Monkey Business, Teabag, Toastie, Yak, Arctic Fox, and Conkers still to perform for the first time, the competition continues. Other characters still in the running include Gargoyle, Red Panda, Can of Worms, Moth, and Sloth. The Masked Singer airs on ITV1 and ITVX.
