Rita Ora's Masked Singer replacement is 'huge nineties comedy icon'

03 October 2023 , 11:05

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Rita Ora's Masked Singer replacement is 'huge nineties comedy icon'

Comedy icon Jennifer Saunders will be taking over from Rita Ora on The Masked Singer when the series returns later this year.

Rita has been forced to miss some episodes of the new series due to existing work commitments, but the Ab Fab star will bring lots of laughs to the panel in her place. She'll join Mo Gilligian, Jonathan Ross and Davina McCall.

"Jennifer is only filling in for the one show but everyone involved is really excited about it. She's a national treasure and is bound to go down a treat with viewers. It's a real coup for the show," a source told The Sun.

Rita previously confirmed she would be forced to miss some of the UK's Masked Singer episodes after it was announced she would be stepping in for Nicole Scherzinger on the American version of the hit show.

Jennifer will be stepping in for a few episodes (Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Rita has work commitments

She said: “I’m gutted to be missing some episodes on the new season but keeping my seat warm are some great guest panellists who I’m told are also super competitive and will keep the others on their toes, especially Jonathan! Bring it on.”

Three new celebrities are set to join The Masked Singer panel this weekend

Meanwhile, The Masked Singer host Joel Dommett recently teased further specials for the popular franchie after The Masked Dancer was launched and a I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! special. "We may or may not have some very exciting specials in the works," host Joel Dommett told Radio Times. "It feels like it really worked last year, people really liked the I'm a Celeb special and it felt like a really lovely introduction to the entire series.

"It was also just really lovely because those one-off specials, it has everything in the show — because you get that gratification immediately, you find out in that one show who everybody is." Joel went on to tease that there could be further specials in the works, including spin-offs of other popular TV shows such as Strictly Come Dancing, Loose Women or Coronation Street.

Charlotte McIntyre