WARNING! THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS ABOUT THE MASKED SINGER SEASON 14!
The Masked Singer season 14 doesn’t premiere until January 2026, but fans have already been speculating about whether Nicole Scherzinger or Rita Ora will be joining Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, and Ken Jeong on the panel, and now they finally have an answer.
Nicole was one of the originals Masked Singer panelists when the show premiered in 2019, and she stayed for 10 seasons until she was cast as Norma Desmond in the West End and Broadway productions of Sunset Blvd. Rita took her place on the panel beginning in season 11. However, now that Nicole’s Olivier and Tony Award-winning runs in Sunset Blvd have come to an end, fans have been wondering if she’ll return for The Masked Singer season 14.
Rita Ora Will Return For The Masked Singer Season 14
A Masked Singer Promo Caused Speculation
According to On Camera Audiencesthe official site for Masked Singer tickets, Rita will be returning to the panel for The Masked Singer season 14. The site teases, “This season promises to be an unforgettable experience as we celebrate another historic season of America’s favorite who-sung-it with Nick Cannon, Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, Robin Thicke, and Rita Ora.”
In a September 2025 Instagram post, The Masked Singer announced that season 14 tickets were available and teased the new season. However, the video only showed clips of host Nick Cannon, Robin, Jenny, and Ken. Rita did not appear, which led some people to believe that perhaps Nicole was returning, but that theory has now been proven wrong.
Rita Ora Was The Perfect Replacement For Nicole Scherzinger
Rita Has Been A Delightful Addition To The Masked Singer Cast
Although Nicole is greatly missed, Rita has done a phenomenal job in her place. She’s been a judge on The Masked Singer UKso she came with experience. She has fantastic chemistry with her fellow panelists, and she even worked with Ken on The Masked Singer UK season 1. Rita also gets along well with Robin and Jenny, which makes the panel comfortable and a joy to watch.
Like Nicole, who Nick nicknamed Sherlock Scherzy because of her incredible detective skills, Rita has a wealth of celebrity knowledge that she uses to figure out who’s hiding behind the masks. In addition, she’s a sensational singer and performer, and she’s treated the audience and viewers at home to some spectacular performances on the show, which is what Nicole was also known for doing.
The Masked Singer has been delighting audiences for 13 seasons with its mystery celebrity performances. The panelists have helped audiences figure out the identities of the contestants with their abilities to decipher the clues and recognize the voices, all while entertaining them with their hilarious and endearing personalities. Although fans miss Nicole, it’s exciting that Rita will be returning for The Masked Singer season 14 because she’s the perfect panelist.
Sources: On Camera Audiences, The Masked Singer/Instagram