Who are the judges of The Masked Singer season 12? Details explored

Modified Aug 24, 2024 14:57 GMT

The Masked Singer season 12 will premiere on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 on FOX. Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, Rita Ora, and Robin Thicke will return as the judges, with Nick Cannon as the host of the reality show. Nicole Scherzinger left the judging panel after season 10 and will not be returning for the upcoming season.

Unlike other singing shows, The Masked Singer features celebrities singing and dancing while hiding their identities with a mask and a costume. Judges and audience have to vote for their favorite performance and the contestant with the least votes gets eliminated and is unmasked.

Ken Jeong and Rita Ora among the judges of The Masked Singer season 12

Ken Jeong

Ken Jeong has been on Fox's The Masked Singer judging panel since the show first debuted in 2019. He is a host on another Fox show, I Can See Your Voice. His vast resume in the entertainment world includes being an actor, writer, producer, and comedian.

Jeong's initial career saw him starring in his show called Dr. Ken. His claim to fame was when he became a series regular on the acclaimed sitcom Community. He charmed everyone with his comic timing since his big-screen appearance as Dr. Kuni in the 2007 comedy Knocked Up.

This initial success helped him secure a role in big-budget Hollywood movies such as Role Models, The Hangover trilogy, Crazy Rich Asians, and Pineapple Express.

Before tying his luck in the entertainment world, Jeong completed a residency in internal medicine from the University of North Carolina. While he had a medical degree, he focused on the comedic side and performed at Improv and Laugh Factory. He went on to make guest appearances on The Office and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Jeong is currently married to his wife Tran Jeong and the pair loves to spend time together with their daughters Zooey and Alexa.

Rita Ora

Rita Ora first appeared as a judge on the singing show on The Masked Singer season 11. She is an acclaimed singer and is currently married to director Taika Waititi.

In season 11, Rita replaced Nicole Scherzinger, who stepped down from the role to star in Sunset Boulevard while the singing show season was filming. She is no stranger to the show format. She has been a judge on the Masked Singer UK for five seasons. The British singer is planning to stay on the American version and will be returning to the judging panel on season 12.

When asked in an interview with EW on February 26, 2024, if she wanted to do more seasons of American Masked Singer, Rita said that she had a great experience on her first season and would like to return.

"I've had such a great experience, and yeah, who knows? I'm really grateful that they have me on the show. I love it. It's so fun," she said.

Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg

Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg has been a judge on the show since its inaugural season in 2019. She started her career in the 1990s as a model at Playboy and went on to make a name for herself in the television industry.

Jenny McCarthy is an actress, host, comedian, and entrepreneur. She is a best-selling author and has written over nine books. Jenny is currently married to Donnie Wahlberg and the pair lives with her son Evan Joseph Asher, whom she shares with her ex-husband John Asher.

Robin Thicke

Robin Thicke has been a judge, guessing the masked singers' identities since season 1. He is a five-time Grammy Award nominee songwriter/singer, record producer, entrepreneur actor, and philanthropist. He has written songs for Michael Jackson, P!nk, and various famous artists.

Thicke was first married to Paula Patton in 2005 and the pair had a son named Julian Fuego Thicke in April 2010. After ending his marriage with the actress in 2014, he married model April Love Geary in December 2018 and the couple had three children together.

The Masked Singer season 12 will premiere on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 on FOX.

Edited by Prem Deshpande