The Masked Singer returns for a milestone 10th season on FOX on Wednesday, September 27, with panelists Jenny McCarthy, Ken Jeong, Nicole Scherzinger, and Robin Thicke.
However, for the first time since its inception, there is set to be a major shake-up in the panel, as it was announced on September 13 that Nicole, 45, would be stepping away from the show.
It was revealed on The Masked Singer's social media platforms that Rita Ora will be stepping in as a panelist for the upcoming 11th season, which is yet to begin production.
It doesn't seem like the Hawaii-born singer is permanently stepping away, though, as she is simply relocating temporarily to London.
Nicole is currently starring in a production of Andrew Lloyd Weber's Sunset Boulevard, based on the 1950 Billy Wilder film of the same name.
Her run officially began on September 21 and she has been in London for the past few weeks rehearsing for her leading performance as Norma Desmond, a former old Hollywood starlet who lives with delusions of grandeur and plots a return to the spotlight.
© Getty ImagesThe show is on for a limited run of 16 weeks, from September 21, 2023 to January 6, 2024 at the Savoy Theatre.
As a result, Nicole will be unavailable to film The Masked Singer's 11th season in Los Angeles, which is why Rita, a panelist on the British version of the show, will be stepping in.
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It's unclear how long the "Black Widow" singer will be on the show for, but the show's 10th season, which was filmed earlier, will premiere as scheduled with Nicole present throughout.
In an interview with People about her new West End role creating a production conflict, Nicole said: "I had to actually choose between The Masked Singer season 11 and Sunset Boulevard. I chose Sunset Boulevard. This is where my talents truly lie. I'm still proving myself."
Touching on being "underestimated" because of her pop star past, she added: "There are so many parallels between Sunset Boulevard and what you have to do to make it in Hollywood.
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"Even when you're fully loaded with so much talent, you could still be overlooked because of stereotypes and ageism. It is a tragedy. I have so much ammunition for this – so much fuel.
© Instagram"That's why I'm making moves now. It's hard when people don't see you for who you truly are. But if you don't show it to them, they will never know; so that's why I've taken this. Hopefully people will get the opportunity now to see who I really am and what I have to give."
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The season originally kicked off on September 10 with a special episode featuring performances from Nicole and a few past contestants like Rumer Willis and Joey Fatone.
© Getty ImagesDemi Lovato also made an appearance in the guise of "Anonymouse" to sing "What About Love" by Heart, although she was revealed at the end of the episode instead of competing in the traditional format.
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