The Masked Singer 2026 is back on ITV for Series 7, and it hasn’t taken long for viewers to start playing detective over which famous faces could be hiding beneath the elaborate costumes.
This year’s run promises more reveals than ever before. Alongside the usual 12 contestants, the show has also introduced a brand-new twist to shake things up.
For the first time in the programme’s history, bands will be taking to the stage. Tonight (January 3) sees Goldfish performing with No Trout, while Sunday (January 4) will put Emperor Penguin and the Antarctic Funkeys firmly in the spotlight.
Masked Singer clues for Emperor Penguin and Goldfish
In tonight’s opening episode, viewers will be challenged to work out who is really behind the Goldfish mask before they reveal their identity.
Tomorrow night, it will then be Emperor Penguin’s turn to step forward as the guessing game continues.
Ahead of the series launch, The Sun was given exclusive access to a batch of clues linked to the characters.
Goldfish sent four clues to the panel, starting with a question for Davina McCall: “How did it feel to be top of the Christmas tree?”
The aquatic performer then teased Jonathan Ross, asking: “They say goldfish have a three-second memory. We’ll be the Judge of that.”
Mo Gilligan was left to decode the equation “54x4x10-166+8=X”, while Maya Jama received the line: “I heard you became an award-winning billionaire by swimming up stream!”
Emperor Penguin also shared a set of hints, beginning with a message to Davina: “I hear you go all Hollywood on a hen night.”
Jonathan was next, with the character saying: “Performing as Emperor Penguin is your Golden Ticket.”
Maya was asked: “Are you ready to kick things off? They’ll be gunning for you tonight!”
And Mo received the final clue: “You can mash ‘em, fry ’em, roast ‘em, but we all know you prefer to sing ‘em.”
‘The clue has just given it away’
Fans wasted no time heading online to share their theories, with Reddit users in particular convinced they’ve cracked the identities of both performers.
When it comes to Goldfish, many believe the clues all point firmly towards pop star Anne-Marie.
“So Goldfish seems to be Anne-Marie,” one user wrote.
“I’m pretty sure it’s Anne-Marie. Based on the sum, Xmas no.1 and the judging clue,” another added.
“Me too, that 2002 clue has just given it away,” a third commented.
Meanwhile, speculation is also building around Emperor Penguin, with several viewers convinced the costume is hiding Matt Lucas.
“I think it’s Matt Lucas. He was in Wonka, likes Arsenal, and the potato thing he did during lockdown,” one fan insisted.
“Ohhhh Matt Lucas?” another agreed.
Read more: Perrie Edwards and Freddie Flintoff join star-studded guest judge line-up for The Masked Singer 2026
The Masked Singer starts at 6.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX on Saturday January 3, 2026.
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