The guessing game is in full swing as ITV's The Masked Singer returned for its seventh series, with viewers convinced they have already unmasked one of the new contestants. Following a debut performance on Sunday night, speculation is rife that the celebrity behind the Monkey Business costume is none other than Spice Girls star Emma Bunton.
Clues and Performance Point to Pop Royalty
Monkey Business made a memorable first appearance during the episode that aired on Sunday 4th January 2026. The mystery singer performed a rendition of Maneater by Hall & Oates, but it was the introductory clue package that really set tongues wagging. Key hints included the theme music from The Apprentice and a strong suggestion that the celebrity "meant business."
The panel of judges—Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross, Maya Jama, and Mo Gilligan—were thoroughly divided. Maya Jama floated the name of Girls Aloud's Cheryl Tweedy, while Jonathan Ross found the performance "confusing" and suggested Katherine Parkinson from The IT Crowd. Davina McCall guessed Dragon's Den star Sara Davies, and Mo Gilligan was confident it was Baroness Karren Brady.
Viewers Rally Behind a Spice Girls Theory
Despite the judges' varied suggestions, fans watching at home quickly coalesced around a different theory. On social media platform X, numerous viewers identified the voice and clues as belonging to Emma 'Baby Spice' Bunton. One user stated plainly, "Monkey Business - Emma Bunton," while another speculated, "Monkey Business is either Avril Lavigne or Emma Bunton."
Bunton rose to global fame in the 1990s as part of the iconic Spice Girls, the best-selling girl group in history, alongside Victoria Beckham, Geri Halliwell, Melanie Chisholm, and Melanie Brown. The group is responsible for era-defining hits like Wannabe and Spice Up Your Life.
First Unmasking and Other Contestants
The series premiere also saw the first elimination of the new run. Alex Jones, presenter of The One Show, was revealed to be Disc Jockey after performing Chappell Roan's Pink Pony Club. None of the judges correctly guessed her identity, with guesses ranging from Annie Mac to Bonnie Tyler.
Following her unmasking, the 48-year-old mother of three emotionally dedicated her performance to her children, stating she wanted to show them the value of overcoming fear. She then performed the song again without her mask to a cheering studio audience.
Other new characters introduced in this series include Arctic Fox, Conkers, Teabag, Toastie, and Yak. They join returning contestants like Gargoyle, Red Panda, and Moth, who survived the first episode. The competition continues with more performances and unmaskings as the series progresses on ITV1 and ITVX.
