‘The Masked Singer’ introduces new characters

Mascot mayhem: New singers, new costumes, new panelists and endless surprises: everyone’s favorite mascot-based singing competition returns as Season 11 of “The Masked Singer” premieres Wednesday, March 6, on Fox.

According to a recent article published by Variety, this upcoming “Masked” season will “feature themed episodes including ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ in celebration of the 85th anniversary of the classic film; ‘Transformers’ (marking the brand’s 40th anniversary) and music tributes including ‘Billy Joel Night’ and ‘Queen Night.’ Additional themes,” they say, “include ‘Girl Groups,’ ‘Soundtrack of My Life,’ ‘TV Theme Night’ and ‘Shower Anthems.’”

While Nick Cannon will return to host this jampacked season, alongside panelists Ken Jeong (“Community”), Jenny Mccarthy-wahlberg (“Dirty Love,” 2005) and Robin Thicke (“Paula,” 2014), one familiar face — that of judge Nicole Scherzinger (“Annie Live!,” 2021) — will be missing, as Scherzinger is currently performing an on-stage production of “Sunset Boulevard,” taking place across the pond.while she is sure to be missed, Scherzinger will be (temporarily) replaced by the talented singersongwriter Rita Ora (“Fifty Shades of Grey,” 2015), who is sure to bring her own flair to the series.

As with previous years, the show will feature 16 celebrity contestants — not all singers but all ready to sing for their supper — including three so-called “wild card” performers, who are sure to shock audiences once unveiled. Luckily for us, six singers have already been announced by the network (masked, of course), introducing us to some glamorous new characters: Goldfish, donning a flowing, orange gown; Starfish, who’s all set for the beach, snorkel in tow; Book, a “novel” fellow with a top hat and a bookworm to boot; Lizard, seen with a backwards cap and cool sportswear; Ugly Sweater, woven from bright fabrics and topped with fluffy plumes; and finally, Gumball, who proves to be equal parts robotic, chewy and pop-tacular.

Though the celebrity inside each mascot costume is unknown — and will remain unknown for some time — avid fans of the series can take their guesses as to who might show up, with last season seeing some killer performances by the likes of John Oates (“Private Eyes,” 1981) as Anteater; Ginuwine (“100% Ginuwine,” 1999) as Husky;tyler Posey (“Teen Wolf”) as Hawk; Michael Rapaport (“Deep Blue Sea,” 1999) as Pickle;tom Sandoval (“Vanderpump Rules”) as Diver;anthony Anderson (“Blackish”) as Rubber Ducky; Demi Lovato (“Unbroken,” 2011) as Anonymouse and many more.

Season 11 of “The Masked Singer” begins Wednesday, March 6, on Fox.