ITV Unveils ‘The Masked Dancer’ After Hit Show ‘The Masked Singer’
ITV is donning the mask again. Following the success of “The Masked Singer,” the U.K. broadcaster has commissioned “The Masked Dancer.”
Produced by the Argonon Group’s Bandicoot Scotland, the seven-part show will see 12 celebrity contestants perform unique dances, clad in extravagant costumes and masks, leaving the viewers and star panel to guess their identities.
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The show will be hosted by comedian Joel Dommett, and panelists will include dancer Oti Mabuse (“Strictly Come Dancing”) alongside Jonathan Ross, Mo Gilligan and Davina McCall.
The final of “The Masked Singer” attracted a consolidated audience of 10 million viewers for ITV.
“The Masked Dancer” was commissioned by Katie Rawcliffe, ITV’s head of entertainment commissioning and Joe Mace, commissioning editor. Executive producers are Derek McLean, Daniel Nettleton and Claire Horton.
Rawcliffe said: “ ‘The Masked Singer’ is a huge hit for ITV and our viewers can’t get enough of this colorful guessing game. ‘The Masked Dancer’ will build on that success and create a new format that will be just as much fun and entertaining for our viewers.”
“The Masked Dancer” premiered on Fox in the U.S. in December, 2020. It began as a segment on “The Ellen Show,” the popularity of which spawned a series commission.
Oti Mabuse said: “I’m so thrilled and honoured to be joining the panel on ‘The Masked Dancer.’ I’m a huge fan of ‘The Masked Singer’ and I loved the U.S. ‘Masked Dancer’ so I just can’t wait to start on this show. As a dancer I will be watching the dancers intently looking for clues – it’s going to be so much fun.”
Jonathan Ross said: “What people don’t know is that secretly I am an expert in dance and can spot a ball change from a box step no problem. The title of best detective on the panel is most certainly coming my way.”
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