ITV made a last-minute decision to cut the debut performance of Red Panda on The Masked Singer on Saturday, citing potential insensitivity following a deadly nightclub fire in Switzerland that killed over 40 people. The character had been scheduled to perform the 1976 hit 'Disco Inferno' by The Trammps, with dancers dressed as firefighters.
An ITV spokesperson said: 'In light of the tragic events in Switzerland, we took the decision to remove Red Panda's performance on The Masked Singer owing to potential insensitivities within the theme and lyrics of the song. Viewers will get to see Red Panda perform in the coming weeks.'
The fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday at 'Le Constellation' in Crans-Montana, Swiss Alps. At least 40 people died and 119 were injured, many with severe burns. The bar's owners have been questioned and could face manslaughter charges.
Red Panda and the celebrity inside the costume will remain in the show, appearing next week with a different performance. The episode also saw the unmasking of singer Anne-Marie as Goldfish and Alex Jones as Disk Jockey.
