The Masked Singer Season 10 Will Premiere After the NFL Doubleheader on Sunday, Sept. 10
The Masked Singer is returning for its milestone 10th season, and Fox has positioned the premiere to follow a high-profile NFL Doubleheader on Sunday, September 10. The network is using the strong lead-in to launch the season with a special episode packed with celebrity appearances, clues, panelist speculation, and a major unmasking touted as one of the show’s biggest reveals.
Fan-Favorite Alumni Return for Special Performances
To celebrate the milestone season, the premiere will spotlight several fan-favorite alums who will reunite for all-new unmasked duets. Performers scheduled to appear include Michelle Williams (Butterfly, Season 2) paired with Rumer Willis (Lion, Season 1); Joey Fatone (Rabbit, Season 1) teamed with Bow Wow (Frog, Season 3); and Victor Oladipo (Thingamajig, Season 1) alongside Barry Zito (Rhino, Season 3). These special on-stage collaborations aim to give longtime viewers a nostalgic, celebratory kickoff to the season.
The first season 10 promotional materials and contestant portraits have already been released, offering fans an early glimpse at the costumes and the tone of the new season.
Season 10 Competition Begins Wednesday, Sept. 27
While the special premiere airs on September 10, the official season 10 competition will begin with the previously announced premiere episode on Wednesday, September 27 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. This season expands the format with three distinct groups of singers and introduces Battle Royale-style semi-finals for each group. In total, season 10 will feature 16 masked contestants, including characters such as Donut, Anteater, Hawk, Hibiscus, and S’More.
Format Tweaks: Wildcards Return and a Scaled-Back Save
Season 10 brings several rule changes designed to increase the stakes and unpredictability. Each group will receive one Wild Card entrant, adding surprise contenders into the lineup. The fan-favorite “Ding Dong Keep It On” bell will return for the Battle Royale semi-finals, but with a scaled-back power: judges may use the bell to save just one contestant from elimination and send that performer directly to the finale. This is a reduction from last season, when judges had more opportunities to save performers across multiple rounds. These adjustments are intended to intensify the competition and make each semi-final episode more consequential.
Season 10 Episode Themes
Producers have announced a diverse lineup of themed episodes for season 10 that should appeal to a wide range of viewers. Highlights include:
- Trolls Night, timed to coincide with the November release of DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls Band Together;
- Harry Potter Night, scheduled for the week of Halloween;
- An Elton John tribute episode featuring songs from his catalog;
- Other themes such as NFL Night, One-Hit Wonders, Disco, 2000s Night, I Wanna Rock, and Soundtrack of My Life.
These themed nights will not only showcase a variety of musical genres but also provide creative opportunities for costumes, staging, and clue packages tied to each theme.
Host and Panel Returning for Season 10
Nick Cannon returns as host for the landmark season, joined by the familiar panel of Jenny McCarthy, Nicole Scherzinger, Ken Jeong, and Robin Thicke. Throughout the season, the panel will continue to guess and banter while former contestants and celebrity guests make returns to the stage for special performances. In addition to performing, past contestants will contribute their hit songs to the Battle Royale semi-final rounds, creating a connection between the show’s history and the current competition.
The special premiere will air on Fox on Sunday, Sept. 10 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will be broadcast live to all time zones. The regular season competition resumes with the first official episode on Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Fox. With a stacked lineup of themes, returning favorites, and format changes that raise the stakes, The Masked Singer Season 10 aims to deliver fresh surprises while honoring the moments that made the series a long-running hit.