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The Masked Singer Bosses Reveal How One Claustrophobic Celeb Suffered With Their Costume

Producers also had to implement strict rules about how long the famous contestants were allowed to wear their masks.
By 

Entertainment Reporter, The Huffington Post UK

and

Editor, HuffPost Australia

While Australia’s second season of ‘The Masked Singer’ is set to premiere in a few sleeps, other countries have also been producing their versions of the show.

Earlier this year the ‘The Masked Singer UK’ bosses revealed the show’s elaborate costumes proved difficult for one celebrity in particular.

The star-studded singing competition sees a number of famous faces competing while hiding their identities from viewers in over-the-top outfits.

In an interview with The Sun in January, executive producers Derek McLean and Daniel Nettleton revealed that the celeb performing as Queen Bee suffers from “crippling claustrophobia”, which was triggered when she first tried her outfit on.

They also revealed that, inspired by the character costumes at Disneyland, they imposed limits on how long the stars were allowed to wear their costumes for.

The stars of 'The Masked Singer'
VINCENT DOLMAN/ITV/SHUTTERSTOCK
The stars of 'The Masked Singer'

“The stars were only allowed in their costumes for 20 minutes,” Derek said. “We took inspiration from Disney. That’s how long Minnie and Mickey Mouse can be in their costumes before going doolally.”

He added that the team had to be “quite strict” about their 20-minute rule, noting: “You don’t want celebrities in costumes going crazy all over the place.”

Meanwhile on Monday Season Two of ‘The Masked Singer’ is returning to Australian screens, with 12 mystery celebrities set to sing their hearts out and get viewers guessing as to who they are.

Hoping to follow in 2019 winner Cody Simpson’s footsteps, each of these stars will hide behind a dozen new masks. Competing for the title this year is The Dragonfly, The Frillneck, The Echidna, The Hammerhead, The Queen, The Kitten, The Wizard, The Cactus, The Goldfish, The Bushranger, The Puppet and The Sloth.

Who Are The Masked Singer Judges?

This year singer Dannii Minogue, comedian Dave ‘Hughesy’ Hughes and radio host Jackie O will return as judges. Joining them on the panel is comedian Urzila Carlson who replaces previous judge Lindsay Lohan.

'The Masked Singer' judges Dannii Minogue, Urzila Carlson, host Osher Gunsberg and judges Dave Hughs and Jackie O
Channel 10
'The Masked Singer' judges Dannii Minogue, Urzila Carlson, host Osher Gunsberg and judges Dave Hughs and Jackie O

Where exactly is The Masked Singer from?

The Masked Singer first aired in South Korea back in 2015, and since then it has sparked spin-off versions across 17 other countries, including Australia.

Currently hosted by local media personality Gim Seong-ju, South Korea’s version is actually called King of Mask Singer and airs on MBC (Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation).

How does The Masked Singer actually work?

The first round involves two masked contestants singing the same song, before subsequent rounds require a solo performance.

Once a contestant is eliminated they are required to reveal their identity, and the last one standing is crowned the ‘Mask King’.

South Korea’s version is known for having local stars and some K-pop names thrown in to make the show all the more exciting for its fans, but what many Aussie viewers may not know is that Hollywood is a big fan of the concept, both with its own show in the US, and the original in South Korea.

‘The Masked Singer’ premieres on Monday August 10 at 7:30pm on Channel 10.

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