The Masked Singer 2026 is officially back on ITV, bringing with it wild costumes, big performances and a flurry of singers being unmasked.
But while four famous faces have already been revealed, plenty of viewers found themselves distracted by the same frustrating issue across the launch weekend.
The bonkers singing competition returned on Saturday and Sunday, with audiences meeting a fresh line-up of weird and wonderful characters. Among them were Toastie, Arctic Fox and the cute – if slightly unsettling – Can of Worms.
However, as the launch shows unfolded, many viewers were united by the same complaint.
The Masked Singer: Fan complaint
As fans know, host Joel Dommett reads out a series of clues after each performance to help with guessing who’s behind the mask.
But during the opening episodes of this year’s series, some viewers noticed what appeared to be a sound issue. The result? Plenty of people struggling to hear the clues clearly.
Taking to Reddit, one fan asked: “Is anyone else struggling to hear all the clues this year. The audio is off?”
Another replied: “I don’t think I heard a single clue there.” A third added: “I’ve felt the same! We’ve had to put on the subtitles…”
One viewer even joked: “I thought it was just cause ‘I’ve got the flu and my heads all stuffy, glad to know it’s not just me.”
ED! has contacted ITV for comment.
Who was unmasked on The Masked Singer?
Despite the audio grumbles, the opening weekend delivered big reveals, with the first two shows packed with stars being unmasked.
Saturday night kicked off with a brand-new twist: a Masked Singer band. Named No Trout, a cheeky nod to No Doubt, the group featured Goldfish as its lead singer.
Midway through the show, Goldfish was unmasked as pop star Anne-Marie, who then took a seat on the panel alongside Mo Gilligan, Davina McCall, Maya Jama and Jonathan Ross.
Later in the episode, Disc Jockey was unmasked and revealed to be The One Show presenter Alex Jones.
Sunday’s episode followed a similar pattern, opening with another band called the Antarctic Funkeys. Their lead singer, Emperor Penguin, was then revealed to be comedian Matt Lucas.
The weekend’s fourth and final unmasking came at the end of the second show, when Teabag turned out to be rapper Professor Green.
Honestly, it was a lot to take in.
When is The Masked Singer on next?
The Masked Singer returns to ITV1 and ITVX on Saturday 10 January, 2026. The show will air slightly later at 7pm, with a Sports Day special.
Joining Mo, Davina, Maya and Jonathan on the panel is former international cricketer Freddie Flintoff. Expect sporty outfits and plenty of themed chaos from the judges.
There’s also a change to the usual schedule, with the show airing for just one night this weekend. That means only half of the remaining acts will perform and one celebrity will be unmasked.
Already hooked? Same here.
Read more: The Masked Singer fans convinced they’ve ‘worked out’ Toastie as Loose Women favourite
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