One of the show's contestants, known only as Red Panda, had their appearance removed due to a song choice that ITV executives feared could be connected to a recent fire in Switzerland, which has killed at least 40 people.
At the time of writing, 24 victims have been named (according to BBC News), including several teenagers and citizens of multiple countries, including Switzerland, Italy, Romania, Turkey and France.
As details continue to emerge in this developing and heartbreaking story, ITV has exercised caution to ensure that its competition series does not risk any association with the incident.
Why was Red Panda dropped from The Masked Singer 2026 premiere?
According to The Sun, the mystery contestant had recorded a performance of 1976 song Disco Inferno by The Trammps for their first appearance on the competition.
As a result, 10 minutes were cut from the programme in total, which presumably consisted of Red Panda's introduction, performance and the judges' remarks.
Authorities are still working to identify all of the victims of the fire, which took place during a New Year celebration at a bar named Le Constellation.
Will Red Panda return to The Masked Singer 2026?
The spokesperson proceeded to clarify that the contestant has not been permanently removed from the competition, and that "viewers will get to see Red Panda perform in the coming weeks".
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