There will be an egg costume in season two!
The Masked Singer's host and judges are spilling season two secrets!
ET caught up with the group during the Fox show's FYC event in Los Angeles, and they revealed how season two will be bigger, teased a new costume and shared how they're raising the secret-keeping bar for their sophomore season.
"I heard that the phones were ringing off the hook of people who want to be on the show," host Nick Cannon disclosed. "It's the number one show on television, so I think they had a good time booking it this season. I hear the costumes are even more elaborate. I hear last season we had 12 performers [and] I hear we got 16 now. And I hear there's, like, an egg [costume]."
"I heard that because the first season was so successful that so many what they call A-list celebrities have clamored to be a part of season two," Jenny McCarthy, one of the show's judges, noted. "So I think you're going to see people... on this show that are like, 'Oh my God, I can't believe they're doing this show.' That's what I think people are going to say about season two."
With the increased number of celebs set to compete in The Masked Singer's second season -- and more of what McCarthy calls "Game of Thrones lock-down secrets" to keep in place -- there are going to be, according to judge Robin Thicke, "even higher precautionary measures" put in place to keep their identities under the radar.
"The hoodies are definitely coming back. The secret service, as we call it, [will be] escorting people [on] and off of the lot and I think it's fun. I think we have a good time with keeping that secret," Cannon said. "And I even tell them, 'Don't tell me.' And I'm the host/producer and I still don't want to know 'cause I want that element of surprise the same way the audience does... I think that it's a guessing game for the entire nation at the end of the day."
"They keep everything really airtight. Even the contestant's representatives and agents, they're all wearing masks behind the scenes. It's crazy because you don't want anything leaked," judge Ken Jeong said. "... I can guarantee you that security will be even tighter... The access will be even more restricted. I guarantee you that. But I think it's gonna be a bigger and better season. That's what I predict."
It's not just the judges and the celebs' teams that have to keep the massive secret, it's the contestants themselves! Season one standout Ricki Lake said that not sharing her identity during the show's run was "the hardest part" of competing.
"I'm terrible at keeping secrets and that was the hardest part of this job," Lake said. "That and the weight of the costume, but, for me, keeping my mouth shut -- particularly when I was on the air and it was such a big hit and everyone kind of knew it was me and I had to be like, 'I don't know what you're talking about. I've heard about the show, but I haven't seen it yet.' -- I literally had to play along."
Despite all of the security measures put in place, the show's costume designer, Marina Toybina's, job is arguably the most important in order to ultimately keep the celebs' identities under wraps.
"We probably had about two months to create all the costumes, [which was] very difficult," said Toybina, who also teased a white egg costume in season two. "... On the creative scale for me, I was able to experiment with all the things that I was inspired by, all the things that my friends or family members were inspired by. What do we want to see on stage that's stage worthy, but at the same time almost marrying the idea of fashion and cinema and costuming all in one?"
With a two-season renewal for the series, those involved are thankful for the opportunity and excited to keep all of the mysteries alive.
"We were kind of like the underdogs and we took a real risk with the show and then to see that it's been kind of a global phenomenon, it's a bit of a blessing in disguise," Nicole Scherzinger, another Masked Singer judge, said. "... We're pretty much big time. We're going to ride this wave for as long as we can with a bunch of gratitude. Riding it on the gratitude train wave."
The Masked Singer will debut its second season this fall on Fox.
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