The guessing game is in full swing as The Masked Singer UK returned to ITV for its seventh series, with one contestant's identity already sending fans into a frenzy. The premiere episode aired on Saturday, January 3, 2026, introducing the first batch of bizarrely costumed celebrities.
The First Elimination and a Major Theory
The opening night saw performances from Sloth, Can of Worms, Gargoyle, Disc Jockey, and Moth. After the audience vote, Disc Jockey and Gargoyle landed in the bottom two. The panel of judges – Davina McCall, Jonathan Ross, Mo Gilligan, and Maya Jama – chose to save Gargoyle, leading to Disc Jockey's elimination. The mask came off to reveal Alex Jones, presenter of The One Show.
However, it was another character that truly captured viewers' imaginations. Can of Worms performed 'Be Our Guest' from Beauty and the Beast, and many listeners immediately thought they recognised the voice.
Clues Pointing to a Boy Band Star
In the accompanying clue package, Can of Worms was seen gardening, stating, "Here's my patch," and talking about growing "beautiful things." The character added, "As a worm, I have green fingers... it runs in the family like it was written in the stars."
Fans were quick to connect this to the members of the noughties boy band JLS, who are each associated with a specific colour, with member Marvin Humes linked to green. Further clues included a plate of pastries, hinting at breakfast TV, and a framed photo of former Top Gear hosts James May and Richard Hammond. Marvin's wife, Rochelle Humes, is a regular presenter on ITV's This Morning.
Social media erupted with the theory. One viewer wrote on X, "Omg genuinely is Can of Worms Marvin Humes?! It sounds SO like him and the 'green fingers' thing - the green one in JLS." Others echoed the sentiment, with posts stating, "Can of Worms sounds like Marvin Humes," and "Marvin Humes defo for Can of Worms."
What's Next for The Masked Singer?
The show continues tonight, Sunday, January 4, with six new characters taking the stage: Conker, Toastie, Arctic Fox, Tea Bag, Yak, and Monkey Business. The episode will also feature Emperor Penguin and their band the Antarctic Funkeys, following Anne-Marie's debut as Goldfish with the show's first live band.
One character viewers will not see tonight is Red Panda. ITV made the decision to pull the star's performance from Saturday's line-up following the tragic fire in Switzerland this week. An ITV spokesperson confirmed the move was due to "potential insensitivities within the theme and lyrics of the song." Red Panda is now scheduled to perform in the coming weeks.
The Masked Singer UK is available to stream on ITVX.
